Pupils risk lives at closed crossing on first day at Coleridge
Crouch End parents taking children back to school yesterday were forced to stand in the road to stop traffic. Parents at Coleridge primary school, which has expanded into the former TUC site and is opening its doors to an extra 60 pupils, were furious to
Crouch End parents taking children back to school yesterday were forced to stand in the road to stop traffic.
Parents at Coleridge primary school, which has expanded into the former TUC site and is opening its doors to an extra 60 pupils, were furious to find the pedestrian crossing on Crouch End Hill was out of action.
Brigitte Bentley was walking her two children, Britney, nine, and Kimberly, eight, to school.
Mrs Bentley, of Sunnyside Road, said: "I think road safety is a massive issue and I'm annoyed the lights are not working at the start of the school term.
You may also want to watch:
"As a driver and a mum I'm worried that someone is going to get hurt and that is before even more children start school next week."
Mick Hooper works as a lollipop man on the zebra crossing further along Crouch End Hill.
Most Read
- 1 Winter closure of Royal Free kids A&E 'boosted Covid resilience' – NHS report
- 2 North London floods return – with South End Green deluged again
- 3 Piers Plowright obituary: BBC and Hampstead star dies at 83
- 4 Thames Water 'sorry' after Finchley Road diversion sees cars damaged
- 5 O2 Centre: Developer says it 'will listen' but still aiming for 1,900 homes
- 6 Spoiler: Cycling up Haverstock Hill is hard work
- 7 Ally Pally and Highgate's abandoned station star in new children's book
- 8 Suburb couple start canal concerts with afternoon tea
- 9 Muswell Hill club wins 'Premier League' of junior chess
- 10 'Something out of Blade Runner?' BT eyes screen near cinema
He said: "It doesn't affect me but they should really have the lights up and running by now because a lot of parents and children cross down there."
Meanwhile, angry residents living in roads around the new school have met to discuss concerns over parking and speeding.
Recently installed speeding signs give contradictory messages - on one side of Haslemere Road a sign warns drivers not to exceed 30mph while on other they are told the limit is 20mph.
Eric Snape, 78, of Haslemere Road said: "This road is a rat race and more needs to be done to improve road safety.
"When plans to extend the school were approved we were assured that traffic-calming measures would be put in place and there would be parking restrictions. This simply hasn't happened."
The residents have now appealed to Mayor Boris Johnson to intervene.
Sue Hessel, of Haslemere Road residents' association, said: "I don't think that Haringey Council has thought this through at all. This is too important a matter to ignore.
"The new school is opening imminently and I felt that some attention from a higher authority was needed."
A council spokesman said: "A comprehensive safety and traffic calming scheme has been implemented and this will be fully operational this week.
