"Worried parents want zebra crossing outside West Coventry Academy"

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Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for a zebra crossing outside a Coventry school “before a child is seriously injured or killed”



There have already been a number of “near misses” outside West Coventry Academy’s side entrance on Tile Hill Lane, the petition states.

Cars are unable to see students leaving buses to cross the road, it adds, with students first raising the issue in 2016.

The call, which has been signed by 658 people and backed by Councillor Lynnette Kelly, will go to the council on Monday, January 21.

It states: “Students leave the bus and walk around the back into the path of oncoming traffic that are unable to see them until the last minute.

“This has caused near misses and concerned phone calls to the Academy detailing the real dangers these students are facing.

“Student leaders raised this subject in 2016 in a presentation to the Lord Mayor and Police Commissioner, both of whom said they would look into the issues raised and feed back to the students.

“The local community, parents, teachers as well as drivers who use Tile Hill Lane wish to see the installation of a zebra crossing outside West Coventry Academy before a child is seriously injured or killed.”

A report ahead of the meeting said it does not meet the criteria for a zebra crossing as there have been no injury collisions in the last three years.

In addition, a zebra crossing may become a road safety hazard as drivers would have limited forward visibility because of the crest of the hill, it added.

Instead, gateway features have been proposed informing drivers they are outside a school.

Splitter islands have also been proposed to reduce the width of the carriageway.

The report added: “Reducing the width significantly enhances road safety by helping to control vehicular speeds, control lane discipline, prevent overtaking and assist pedestrian movements.

“Splitter islands on Tile Hill Lane are aimed at reducing vehicular speeds on both approaches to West Coventry Academy.”

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Delight at road safety promise at Coventry school



A Coventry school will finally get much-needed road safety measures after students led an emotional plea to council bosses calling for action.

Students from West Coventry Academy spoke out as they presented a 658-strong petition urging the council to act before a child is killed.

The problem has existed around the school for decades, a meeting was told, with a number of students recently knocked off their bikes.

A particular issue was a lack of safe crossing on Tile Hill Road near a bus stop, forcing students as young as 11 into the path of oncoming traffic.

Council officer Karen Seagar said they could not install a zebra crossing as there had not been enough reported collisions.

Josie added: “We do understand there has to be a number of accidents in the area before the council investigates, but please consider these figures are not just numbers, they could be someone’s son or daughter.”

Instead, Ms Seagar said gateway features and splitter islands around the school could be deployed.

Officers will visit the site to assess where the measures can be put in, and look at issues over parked cars.

She added: “We are looking to completely change how the road looks.

“While a zebra crossing is potentially not the best thing there are a lot of other things that we can do to change drivers’ perception so you feel safer crossing.”

The measures could be approved before April.

Speaking after the meeting, ward councillor Lynnette Kelly, who supported the petition, said: “We are quite lucky there has not been children killed but it is more luck than anything else.

“To be told we may not get a zebra crossing but we are going to look at other things that will slow cars down is good news.

“It shows that young people will get listened to.”