New safety measures to be discussed following crash near Taunton primary school
Fresh calls for improved road safety near Nerrols Primary School have been made after a car crashed beside a busy pavement used by pupils and parents
New road safety measures could be put in place near a Taunton primary school following a crash during the Easter holidays.
Nerrols Primary School lies on Nerrols Drive in the Priorswood area of Taunton, a short distance from the busy Venture Way roundabout.
Following a crash near the school earlier in the year, Councillor Tom Deakin (whose Taunton North division includes the site) has called on Somerset Council to put new measures in place to avoid pupils, staff and other local residents from being put at risk.
The council said it was willing to have discussions with the school about what changes could be implemented, though it has not given a time-scale for when such talks could take place.
Mr Deakin (who also serves as leader of Taunton Town Council) made his plea when Somerset Council’s executive committee met in Taunton on Wednesday morning (May 6).
He said: “Following the recent Easter incident, where a vehicle crashed into fencing by the pavement near Nerrols Primary School – and with similar incidents having happened before – I’ve been in contact with the headteacher and PTA, who are understandably concerned about pupil safety.
“While I welcome the speed indicator devices (SIDs) funded by Taunton Town Council, it’s clear that more is needed, including new safety barriers along the most exposed stretch of pavement.
“Will the executive commit to progressing these measures as a priority and set out what action will now be taken?”
Councillor Richard Wilkins, portfolio holder for highways and transport, responded that the installation of SIDs was a step in the right direction and he would be happy for discussions on further improvements to take place.
Mr Wilkins (who represents the Curry Rivel and Langport division) said: “I very much welcome the installation of SIDs that have been funded by the town council as a positive step towards encouraging safer driver behaviour along this stretch of road.
“We have looked at whether it’s possible to implement additional safety barriers along the footway, but we do not think that this is possible, as the barriers would need to be set back from the road.
“This would reduce the width of the cycle lane, which is already at the minimum width allowed by safety standards.
“However, we are very happy to discuss with the school what alternative solutions may be possible.”
Following the meeting, Mr Deakin took to social media to asked parents and local residents to put forward their suggestions for what improvements could be secured.
Posting on his official Facebook page, he said: “I was told by Somerset Council the cycle path is too narrow to accommodate additional safety barriers.
“I don’t agree – and I will continue pushing for stronger measures to better protect children, parents, and staff.
“Somerset Council has agreed to take part in follow-up discussions with the school, and I will now be working to get these meetings arranged so we can focus on practical solutions.
“If you use this route – especially parents and carers – do you feel it’s safe? Have there been near-misses?
“I’d really value your views and will feed them into ongoing discussions.”