Call for new Sheffield school crossing: “We are doing everything we can to keep our children safe”
A petition calling for a crossing outside Birley Primary Academy in Birley has gathered a total of 610 signatures.
Last updated 20th Mar 2026
Sheffield families worried about the dangers of their children crossing a busy road to school have called on the council to install a crossing.
The petition for a crossing on Thornbridge Drive at the junction with Hopedale Road, outside Birley Primary Academy in Birley, has a total of 610 signatures.
Campaigners Kate Goddard and Adele Bellamy presented the petition to a meeting of Sheffield City Council’s transport, regeneration and climate policy committee (March 18), supported by Birley ward councillor Karen McGowan.
Kate told councillors that there has been no crossing warden for almost three years, despite the vacancy being repeatedly advertised. Parents have been campaigning about road safety for two years.
The petition states: “Luckily there have been no fatalities but lots of near misses, the most recent in October 2025.
“Something needs to change before a fatal accident happens.”
Adele said: “We have done many things to make the area safe such as considering closing Thornbridge Avenue at the start and end of school, so people have to walk up.
“However, with Thornbridge Drive and Thornbridge Road being a bus route, this could cause more issues and buses not getting through. There would also be Thornbridge Close and Place affected by this and the residents have made it very clear that closing the street is something they do not want.”
She said that staff from the council’s South East Local Area Committee had been into school to teach children about good and bad parking. Children gave tickets to drivers parking both well and badly.
One mum reported that her daughter told she could not park where she was intending to because it wasn’t safe.
The headteacher also sends out parking mesages and ward councillors have installed ‘Billy and Belinda’ bollards, which look like children, to visually remind drivers who is likely to be crossing nearby.
However, they are not always visible due to parked cars.
Adele said that her daughter wanted to walk to school in year six like her brother had, in order to prepare for secondary school, but it did not feel safe without a crossing warden.
She said the number of parents driving their children to school could fall if there is a crossing.
“We are doing everything we can to keep our children safe and now we feel it is your turn,” she said. She invited committee members to visit to see problems for themselves.
Coun McGowan praised the work of the parents, including standing outside in terrible February weather to collect signatures for the petition.
South East LAC chair Coun Ian Horner said: “It really is important that we deliver schemes like this and I absolutely do support you on this.”
Committee chair Coun Ben Miskell said that if streets are made much safer, children would feel confident to walk and cycle. The council has a commitment to eliminate all fatalities from city roads.
He said the council is investing £3.81 million on crossing schemes across the city and that investment is really starting to deliver. However, the budget is fully allocated for 2026.
“However, I do want to assure that this location will be assessed and considered for inclusion in future programmes. We will also continue to work with you and your councillors for this assessment to move forward.”
Coun Miskell said the committee will be taking up the invitation to visit.