KEETCH QUESTIONS COUNCIL'S POOR ATTITUDE TO SCHOOL PUPILS' SAFETY

11.11.00am GMT Thu 4th Dec 2008

Early on Monday morning, MP for Hereford, Paul Keetch, met concerned parents and pupils at Goodrich and walked with them to the pick up point for the school bus to take the youngsters to John Kyrle High School in Ross on Wye.

Parents Cate Gargan and Maria Thornett of Deanswift Close had called upon their MP to help and see for himself the dangers their children face whilst they await the school bus each morning.

"I am astonished that the Council has seen fit to move the public bus stop away from the A40 'for safety reasons' but expects the school kids to still wait at that stop with no apparent regard for their safety," Mr Keetch commented.

"These children stand alongside a dual carriageway with no barrier, no shelter and absolutely no protection from the traffic that is passing at speeds in excess of 60 mph. Heavy traffic is pretty constant on that stretch and I lost count of the lorries and artics that sped by whilst I was waiting at the stop with the children.

"There is no shelter so in wet weather the kids are drenched and dirty from the spray of passing traffic. But what concerns me most is their safety. It is totally unreasonable that the council sees fit to move the public bus stop off the dual carriageway and on to the slip road but expects the children to remain at the roadside. This is yet another example of the Council penny pinching and blatantly disregarding the safety of our youngsters," the MP continued.

"The parents simply want their children to be safe and are asking for the school bus to collect them from the newly positioned bus stop on the slip road. There is plenty of room for it to turn and continue on its journey to John Kyrle and it is simply crazy that this hasn't been organised already. I'll be pressing the Council to ensure they act upon this urgently before a tragedy happens."