Engaines Primary School students call for pelican crossing

Teachers and parents have raised concerns over the safety of pupils at Engaines Primary School, in St Osyth Road East, Little Clacton, due to the speed of motorists using nearby London Road.

The school is now battling with Essex County Council’s highways department after initially being told the B road doesn’t warrant a crossing.

Headteacher Jackie Irwin said: “We have been working with the school community on improving parking and safety for the children around the school.

“The children, parents, our neighbours and the parish council have been involved in these discussions.

“We would really like a pelican crossing on London Road to help our families cross this busy road safely.

“We are working with the highways department to try to make this happen, but as yet we have not been allowed this as they say that the road traffic does not warrant this.

“The children and I, however, think it definitely does.”

Parish council chairman John Cutting said the crossing is needed because of the growing popularity of the school.

He added: “We fully support the school to get a pelican crossing installed to ensure the safety of the children “There is a high volume of children trying to get across that road and there is a dangerous bend nearby.

“The council carried out a survey in London Road in relation to the crossing, but they did it in the morning.

We want them to come back and do another one at 3pm to get a true reflection of the problem.

“We have been campaigning for years to get the speed limit reduced to 20mph, but it appears the county council want it to be 30mph throughout the village.”

An Essex Highways spokesman said: “An application for a crossing point has been received by the Tendring Local Highway Panel and we are in the process of confirming the location for a pedestrian/vehicle conflict study.

“Once the results of this study are complete, this will determine if a crossing point is warranted.”