Ed Miliband calls for 20mph zone outside Woodlands school after “incident with a bus”
The Energy Secretary visited St Joseph’s and St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School to make the call for extra safety measures
Ed Miliband has called for a 20mph zone to be implemented on a main road outside the gates of a local primary school.
Mr Miliband, the Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary and MP for Doncaster North, revealed on social media he had visited St Joseph’s and St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School in Woodlands, Doncaster, where he discussed road safety measures with headteacher Tom Kowalski.
In a post on Facebook, the long-serving MP said there was “strong support” for a 20mph limit outside the school gates to better protect parents and children at pick-up and drop-off times on Doncaster Lane.
Miliband’s team confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) the school had a small gate which was now out of use for safety reasons following “an incident with a bus”.
The LDRS was told that the larger numbers of children now using the main gates on Welfare Road has created further safety concerns.
Miliband said on social media he was “committed to working alongside the school to push for these vital safety measures”.
Dan Swaine, executive director for place at Doncaster Council, told the LDRS that Welfare Road – the location for the main gates and entrance to the school – already had a 20mph limit.
Mr Swaine said that there were also “measures in place” on the connecting Doncaster Lane to “alert drivers to the school’s presence and to make it as safe as possible for parents to drop off and pick up their children”.
He added: “City of Doncaster Council undertakes regular reviews into the road safety measures that are enforced around local schools, to ensure that residents are sufficiently protected during busy times.
“We will, of course, continue to monitor the situation to determine if further action is required.”
Mr Swaine urged residents to take part in the council’s latest road safety consultation. He said responses would “help us shape our plans for the future and identify top priorities for making our roads safer and better for everyone”.