More than 450 sign Westwood School March crossing petition

Steve Barclay, MP for North East Cambridgeshire, launched a petition at the end of January to improve road safety outside Westwood School in March amid fears a child will be seriously hurt or killed.

Now, every March town councillor has endorsed Mr Barclay's bid to have two pedestrian crossings located outside the school, which caters for nearly 750 children over its two sites in Maple Grove.

Mr Barclay launched the petition (www.stevebarclay.net/westwood) to help the school's battle for pedestrian crossings to make it safer for families crossing between the school sites.

Mr Barclay explained: "Its size means there are very large numbers of cars outside the school gates at drop off and collection times.  

 "Yet, unlike many smaller schools, it has no pelican or zebra crossing outside the school, nor is there any school crossing patrol.

 "Teachers tell me that following a number of near misses, they are increasingly worried about a serious accident injuring a child outside their school. 

" Having discussed these concerns with Principal Ms Read, I raised this with Cambridgeshire County Council."

Westwood Primary School has 750 pupils spread over two sites in Maple Grove, March, and MP Steve Barclay is calling for public support to get a pedestrian crossing to keep pupils safer. (Image: Google/Streetview)

However, the council says that until there has been a "cluster" of accidents, the school does not qualify for a crossing.

In a written response, Frank Jordan, the county's deputy chief executive, said: "Such road safety schemes are implemented on the basis of the injury collision records, with sites that meet our cluster site criteria being prioritised.

"Any junction or 100m length of road that has seen either three serious or worse injury collisions or six injury collisions of any severity in the most recent three calendar year period would be identified as a cluster site."

Mr Barclay has condemned the need for a record of accidents outside the school before action is taken and has urged people to sign his petition, which would see two crossings costing upwards of £125,000 each installed.

Westwood School in March is trying to make its pupils safer with the provision of pedestrian crossings. (Image: Google Streetview)

He believes the funding should come from Section 106 money provided by developers to pay for infrastructure and other amenities when they build homes.

Mr Barclay is delighted with the response so far, but wants to see more people signing the petition.

He has also welcomed the 'cross-party' support the campaign has received from March town councillors.

Mr Barclay said: "As should be the case for a campaign like this, all the political parties have joined together to support the staff and pupils at Westwood School.

"Momentum is growing, and if you have not yet signed up to add your support."

The issue is on the agenda for discussion at Monday night's March Town Council meeting.