Pupils attending Lionwood Infant and Junior School in Thorpe St Andrew are facing an “intolerable” situation caused by too many drivers leading to dangerous conditions, campaigners have said.
To solve the issues, parents want a temporary road closure in place on Wolfe Road during pick-up and drop-off times to create a safer environment.
Drivers are parking on the pavements outside Lionwood Junior and Infant School (Image: Thorpe St Andrew Safer Streets)
Claire Brook-Scott, a parent, said: “There are just too many cars and too many awful drivers making it stressful and dangerous to walk or cycle to school.
“Every day we see drivers going down pavements as fearful parents try to keep their kids safe.”
Campaigners say the problems outside the school have been apparent for several years and continue to get worse.
Lionwood Junior School, Wolfe Road, Norwich. (Image: Denise Bradley)
Parents have joined other schools in supporting the School Streets movement, which is pushing for safety improvements outside schools.
Suzanne Cattermole, a spokeswoman for the Thrope St Andrew campaigners, said: “People have been asking drivers to behave safely for years, putting up more signs, painting more lines, but there are selfish drivers who will never care enough to follow the rules to keep children safe.
“That’s why we are calling for a camera-enforced road closure outside the school for an hour at pick-up and drop-off.
“We have got to the point where the only way to keep children safe is to remove the cars that pose a risk at these times.”
Parents and children from Lionwood Junior School during a protest calling for more safety measures outside the school earlier this year (Image: Submitted)
Campaigners would need to apply for permission for the road closure from Norfolk County Council, which is responsible for highways safety.
If it was to be imposed, temporary restrictions would be in place for a certain time period but certain vehicles and drivers would be exempt from the closure.
A spokesman for Norfolk County Council said: “Traffic calming measures are due to be installed outside the school on Wolfe Road early next year and we are also discussing a range of further options with the school and local community as part of the development of the school’s travel plan.
“The temporary closure of roads around schools was trialled by the county council through a School Streets programme and we are using the School Street we have at Robert Kett Primary School in Wymondham to better understand what measures are needed for the successful implementation of a School Street elsewhere in Norfolk.
“Schools can engage with pupils and the wider school community on encouraging safer and more sustainable journeys to school through the development of a school travel plan and there is a free resource that all schools can access to do this.
“There is also a significant amount of information available to schools provided by the County Council and partners, which includes cycle and pedestrian training, awareness of road safety and the issuing of a Safe School Run Pledge.
“We are happy to work with all schools to ensure they can access these helpful resources and bring about a positive approach to safer streets around schools.”