Subscribe to trusted local news
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
20
Jan
Glasshouses primary school hails village's new 20mph zone
Glasshouses Community Primary School has welcomed a reduced speed limit through the village and outside the school grounds.
North Yorkshire Council last year pledged to review speed limits outside every school in the county to improve road safety – particularly for children and young people.
The council said at the time it would assess more than 400 educational facilities, starting with those where speed limits are the highest, and had “adopted a presumption in favour of lowering the speed limits” in those areas.
Among the schools identified was Glasshouses Community Primary School, which had a 30mph road immediately outside its front gates.
But, thanks to the perseverance of pupils and local politicians, the speed limit has officially been reduced to 20mph.
A Traffic Regulation Order confirming the reduction said it came into effect yesterday (January 19) but the 30mph signs had not yet been replaced when the Stray Ferret visited the school.
Nicola Thornber, executive headteacher at Upper Nidderdale Primary Federation – which encompasses Glasshouses Community Primary School and St Cuthbert’s in Pateley Bridge – told the Stray Ferret pupils at Glasshouses have been campaigning for a reduced speed limit for around four years.
She said:
The student leadership team really wanted to make a change and make a difference to this road outside, as they saw how dangerous it was and all the traffic speeding. They saw people trying to cross it unsafely and they just wanted to do something about it.
Pupils originally hoped traffic calming measures, such as a zebra crossing, could be introduced to improve road safety outside the school.
They contacted Sir Julian Smith, Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, who advised them on how to put the wheels into motion.
But when such traffic calming measures were not approved, Ms Thornber said the children “were not satisfied”.
She told the Stray Ferret:
They got Julian Smith back in and Cllr Andrew Murday [a Liberal Democrat who represents Nidderdale on North Yorkshire Council]. Once Cllr Murday had been in, the following day traffic counters – markers that measure the traffic on the road – were installed. That took six months [to consult on] and then it was in the hands of the highways agency.
The next thing we knew, the children got this [Traffic Regulation Order] through from Cllr Murday.
The new 20mph zone runs south-west from the Glasshouses Bridge Road junction with the B6265 Lupton Bank – measuring around 653.5 metres in length (pictured above) – and includes the section of road outside the primary school.
Ms Thornber said one pupil, who has since started secondary school, was so passionate about road safety in Glasshouses, he continued to campaign for the speed reduction even after leaving primary school.
She added:
They had a mission and they were not giving up. As a headteacher, I’m super proud of them and the difference they’ve made.
Cllr Murday also told the Stray Ferret:
I am very pleased that we have achieved the establishment of a 20mph speed limit in Glasshouses.
The initial drive started with the pupils of Glasshouses Community Primary School. I met with the senior pupils there over a year ago and heard their concerns about traffic outside the school. Since then, we have been through the process of establishing the 20mph zone with council officers, culminating in a consultation with Glasshouses residents.
The 30mph zone signs had not been replaced when the Stray Ferret visited the school on January 19.
‘We have the right to feel safe’
The Stray Ferret spoke to some the school’s 'rights respecting team' - a group of pupils who advocate for children's voices to be heard – some of whom worked on the campaign to reduce the speed limit.
Year six pupil, Poppy, said people were driving so fast outside the school it prevented the youngest pupils from being able to cross the road.
“We have the right to feel safe”, year four pupil, Connie, added.
Darcie, who was in year two when the campaign began and is now in year six, said although it has been a difficult process, pupils are happy the speed reduction has finally materialised.
But the reduced speed limit appears to be just the beginning for the Glasshouses pupils, who told the Stray Ferret they now have their sights set on a dedicated lollipop lady.
0