Pavements – a horrific 20 minutes

It was a horrific 20 minutes of putting lives at risk.

Why would any parent or carer, or indeed any human being deliberately through their own choice put children and families at risk of injury or worse? 
Yet that is what is happening daily in our own town.

A concerned parent had posted on social media a picture of a driver using the footpath in Alliston Way – the main route through to the Primary School. It was abysmal driving, not only showing complete disregard for the rules of the road but also for the safety of those walking to school.

It was reported to the police, to the school and to the Councils.

That was nearly a month ago and questions were being raised on what actions had been taken as nothing had changed.

On a visit to the local police 'Surgery' an assurance was given that "patrols in the area have been stepped up."
They don't seem to have had any effect.

The very next school day after that assurance was given I visited the area along with Hampshire County Council's Travel Plan Adviser. The pavement driving seen was horrendous – a regular stream of vehicles mounting the pavement even when children were walking along it.

There is complete disregard for safety – there was parking on corners, dangerous manoeuvres of turning in the road, and driving whilst on a mobile phone.
The pictures here are just a few example of what was seen in that 20 minutes.
Clearly the 'stepping up of patrols' has not had any effect and some prosecutions are urgently required.


The following has since been received from the HCC Travel Plan officer:
"I had a good meeting with the primary school and they are keen to get going with some initiatives to make parents more aware of the problems with poor driver behaviour and parking."

Hopefully those initiatives include the police taking action beyond just "patrols". Action is needed – now.

It is an offence to drive on pavements, yet here in Whitchurch it is endemic, and it is the most vulnerable who suffer the consequences. Whitchurch Primary School is to expand, more housing is planned for the town and traffic will increase, but unless serious action is taken our safety will be further compromised. It is clichéd but it really is "Think of the children".

The community needs to work together on this, but that can only go so far.  Above all those drivers who are flouting the law, putting lives at risk and showing disregard for others' safety should be taken to task for their actions, whether by fines or for persistent offenders, removal of their licences.

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