PUPILS and parents took part in a safety rally outside a city school where a young boy was knocked over by a car.
The rally took place in Stanley Road Primary School in Stanley Road, Worcester, on Friday, (February 9) and was organised after two crashes involving children took place in the past year.
The event began at 3.15pm as pupils were leaving school.
Those attending were led into chants by Rob Collier, from Bike Worcester, who shouted: "I say Zebra, you say crossing" and "What do we want 'safe streets', when do we want them now".
Those on the rally then took part in a slow march from the school along Stanley Road before everyone gathered at the junction with Wyld's Lane.
We have previously reported how there was a crash involving a six-year-old boy and a Ford Fiesta outside the school on Friday, November 24. The boy was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital but went on to made a full recovery.
Lucy Green, who is part of the campaign, said: "We have organised the rally to raise awareness.
"We want to engage highways and to make changes.
"There are options that can be looked at - a zebra, an island or traffic lights.
"We want to engage highways for them to make changes. We need to make it safe for all to cross."
Mr Collier said: "A kid getting knocked down outside the school is the stuff of nightmares.
"School streets (which sees a temporary restriction on vehicles at school drop-off and pick-up times outside the school) - is in loads of places.
"There's a lot of arguments against but it could be brought in tomorrow if they wanted to."
Councillor Lynn Denham, joint leader of Worcester City Council but also a county councillor, joined the rally saying she was supporting them as something needed to be done.
"I've had loads of meetings with people around here - it's a complex traffic problem," Cllr Denham said.
"Any solution needs to balance everything and fit with the area.
"I suggested speed bumps but Worcestershire Highways said no, which is really frustrating.
"It's about all of us keeping the pressure up."
Lorraine Adams, the headteacher of Stanley Road, was at the event telling the Worcester News the boy who was injured is currently doing well in school.
The headteacher added she was impressed with the turnout which she said showed the strength of feeling people had about the issue.
In a statement Councillor Mike Rouse, cabinet member for highways and transport at Worcestershire County Council, said last month: “We are carrying out a feasibility study for a zebra crossing near the school, and we are consulting on a traffic regulation order on the zigzag lines near the school.
"Our road safety team has recently carried out speed surveys which showed a low average speed, and we have considered traffic calming measures.
"These would significantly reduce the residential parking availability on this street, and are very unlikely to significantly reduce speed.”
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