Road Safety around Schools – Mersey Vale Primary School

Overview

The Council’s overall strategic transport ambition is to increase the number of children walking or cycling to school, both to reduce congestion on roads, improve local air quality, and improve health outcomes. For this to be achieved, it is important that walking or cycling to school is a safe option for children and their families.

To support this ambition, Traffic Services have been working to tackle key concerns which have been raised by schools and local Members and the following improvements have been identified surrounding Mersey Vale Primary School (see enclosed plan 0305/69/MV/001 Rev A):

• Introduction of School Keep Clear Markings on Valley Road on eastern side approach to the school entrance (Monday to Friday 8.00am - 5.00pm).
• Introduction of No Loading to the existing No Waiting at Times Shown restrictions (Single Yellow Lines) to apply (Monday to Friday 8.30am - 9.30am and 2.30pm - 3.30pm), on Valley road between Ravenswood avenue and Sherwood Avenue, and continuing along the western side of Valley Road past Ravenswood Avenue. These restrictions are proposed to keep these stretches of carriageway clear of parked vehicles at school drop-off and pick-up times, improving safety for pedestrians who currently have to navigate cars parked on the pavement, and at times being forced to walk into the carriageway due to inconsiderate parking;
• Introduction of No Waiting at Any time restrictions (Double Yellow Lines) with No loading (Monday to Friday 8.30 - 9.30am and 2.30pm - 3.30pm), at the junctions of The Glade, Ravenswood Avenue, Sherwood Avenue and Larnwood Avenue to keep the junctions clear of parked vehicles, protecting intervisibility between pedestrians and motorists whilst also ensuring vehicles can negotiate the junctions safely.
• Provision of two uncontrolled crossing points with tactile paving and provision of pencil bollards either side of these on Valley Road both within in the School Keep Clear to aid pedestrians;   
• Provision of an uncontrolled crossing point with tactile paving over Ravenswood Avenue junction to aid pedestrians;
• Provision of the two new School Warning Signs; one on Larnwood Avenue and one on Furness Grove to the East.
• Introduction of Access Protection Markings (H-bars) for a number of properties along Valley Road/ Furness Grove.

Please view the plan here:

View the Plan in a new window

Please could you spend a few minutes to consider the issues and let us have your feedback on the proposals. Please include any comments you may wish to make on the proposal by completing the online survey by Wednesday 31st May 2023.