Co-Op lorry crashes into wall near St George's RC Primary School

A Co-Operative lorry has crashed into a wall at the end of Thorneloe Road in Worcester, on the corner of Selborne Road.

This comes as residents and parents at nearby St George's RC Primary School have been taking to the streets to campaign for more safety measures to be introduced.

The lorry struck the hedge-covered fence at around 10.40am, with West Mercia Police officers called to the scene.

No on was injured, police confirmed.

READ MORE: Parents block road during school run after traffic chaos led to 'screams and shouts'

Damage caused to the hedge (Image: NQ)

Each day, members of the community have gathered at each end of Thorneloe Walk, adjacent to Thorneloe Road, during school drop-off and pick-up times to stop "unecessary" vehicles from driving by the school.

They are hoping to see Thorneloe Walk made a 'School Street', a government initiative aimed at reducing traffic near schools and encouraging people to walk and cycle instead.

Green Party city councillor Karen Lewing joined parents and residents at the blockade on Monday morning (June 26).

She said: “School Streets are popping up around the country, but the county council does not yet have a policy.

“They say they are working on one but they’re not working as fast as we would like.”

TV presenter and cycling enthusiast Jeremy Vine has shared his thoughts on the parent-led roadblock.

He said: “We need to move away from the idea that people who own large metal boxes get priority over the rest of us just because they have an accelerator pedal. It's nuts.”

READ MORE: Television presenter weighs-in on frustrated parents who blocked road for school run

Chunks of the hedge and metal fence (Image: NQ)

Councillor Mike Rouse, cabinet member with Responsibility for Highways and Transport at Worcestershire County Council, has urged people not to take matters into their own hands.

He said: “School Streets and similar initiatives need the support of the school and the local community together in order to become formalised and be successful in the long term. 

“School Streets are just one way of encouraging active travel by walking and cycling to and from our schools, we have also achieved this in areas around the county by installing crossing points, and dropping nearby kerbs to allow easier access to do this.”

“We cannot condone the unilateral actions taken by campaigners to effectively blockade a road without a permit and without permission.

“Where actions like this have happened elsewhere we see a rise in community tensions, so we call on all those involved to work with us constructively and not to take the law and road safety into their own hands.”

Co-Operative has been contacted for a response.