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CRISIS
"Cross the Road in Safety"
CRISIS is a campaign group formed after a public meeting in September 2008, to campaign for a proper crossing and 20mph limit outside Cleves school.
The group has sought to involve all concerned local organisations in addition to the school e.g. Church, Parents, local residents and resident associations , councillors and appropriate professional bodies.
The dangers outside the school for parents and children arriving and leaving the school have been a concern for many years. Pressure from the school has not led to any meaningful action from the Surrey County Council.
A school parent ( a professional traffic engineer) has made most progress by designing a possible crossing scheme as the firm’s commitment to helping the local community.
Wider benefits
CRISIS sees that a proper crossing will not only help the school but assist commuters, church goers and local residents in crossing a road which almost a half of vehicles are exceeding the speed limit. The group will continue to work with all local organizations to achieve safety for pedestrians round the school.
If you are interested in helping please contact Karin Peluso 01932 269176 or Graham Winton 01932 253653
CRISIS - Safe School Crossing Campaign
Weybridge Liberal Democrats and school parents in Oatlands have been campaigning for a pedestrian controlled crossing outside Cleves School. The campaign group CRISIS (Cross the Road in Safety) has found widespread support across the community, and has won a major first step in improving safety.
Action
A petition signed by 1321 people organised by local campaigner Karin Peluso was presented to a meeting of the Surrey County Council in December 2008. This requested a light controlled pedestrian crossing outside the school together with necessary traffic management arrangements. In response Surrey CC agreed to ask its officers to come up with a proposal to address the danger.
First results
The resulting Surrey CC report
was presented to the
next meeting of the SCC Local Committee for Elmbridge
on 9 March 2009. A controversial decision to limit the number
of members of the public admitted meant that many campaigners were kept out of
the meeting. CRISIS chairman Graham Winton and organiser Karin Peluso
and some Oatlands residents were allowed in.
Graham Winton was given the opportunity to address the committee about the proposals. He urged that the proposals (see below) could only be a start and that they do not on their own guarantee a safe crossing.
The proposals require the school to co-operate and to invest some money in improvements. They also depend on a successful outcome of consultations on changes to parking arrangements (particularly removing long term commuter parking).
Graham Winton urged that a firm deadline be set to complete the proposed works of the start of the next autumn term and for continued review of the success or otherwise of the proposals. He stated that the only really effective solution would be for a light controlled crossing rather than a crossing patrol.
Surrey agree to take action
After a supportive debate the recommendation was approved unanimously by Surrey CC Local Committee:
- Approve the introduction of a safe crossing location immediately outside the school, centrally located between the schools in and out car park.
- Request that the school keep their car park gates closed at school arrival and departure times, in order to achieve the first recommendation.
- Request that the school provide a pedestrian gate, suitably located, to encourage the use of the safe crossing location.
- Approve the parking assessment in both Oatlands Avenue and Oatlands Chase, to be included in the annual review programme.
CRISIS will continue monitor the specific situation at Cleves and to campaign for 20mph speed limits around all schools in Surrey. They will continue to publicise progress in an attempt to keep the council to the timetable set.