Mum's road safety campaign outside Heathcote Primary School sees results in less a month

A mum’s campaign to help improve road safety around a primary school in the Heathcote area has already seen some results less a month after it started.

Earlier in February, parent and resident Josie McCormick, launched the campaign after witnessing a number of near misses around Heathcote Primary School.

She decided to take action by launching a feedback form to see if the concerns she had around road safety between Vickers Way, Garrett Drive and Harbury Lane were shared by others.

After launching the form on Facebook, she received almost 90 responses in 48 hours. She said 93 per cent stated they had witnessed near misses and 98 per cent believed there needed to be improvements made.

Josie said: “As a parent who walks to school, crossing between parked cars, junctions with no road markings, and near the Harbury Lane junction, is a dangerous experience.

"One respondent stated she had been reversed into while shielding her child, another had to move her child after a car drove along the pavement to clear a backup of traffic. These are everyday occurrences, so I decided that someone needed to take action”.

Josie then contacted the school to understand their view, who said they had been contacting the developers and council and had a visit from Cllr Jan Matecki, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for transport and planning.

She also contacted Cllr Matt Collins, Jenny Bevan - an advocate for the campaign – and Matt Western, MP for Warwick and Leamington, who were all very supportive of the campaign.

With the campaign gaining traction, Josie had also contacted the housing developers but there was some initial confusion as to who was responsible for parts of the road due to council involvement and different developers in the area.

Josie said: “The senior technical coordinator at David Wilson Homes West Mercia told me that they were responsible for Vicker’s Way but that the council had adopted that stretch of road, he also said that Garrett Drive remains the responsibility of Barratt Homes West Midlands.

“The developers have not put sufficient safety provisions around the school, and despite many residents informing me that they had raised it through customer care and with the council, nothing had been done to make improvements.”

Speaking about the campaign Cllr Matt Collins, Warwick district councillor for the Bishop's Tachbrook ward, said: “Residents have shown me the severity of the situation on the roads surrounding the schools and it is really dreadful.

"I can completely understand parents’ frustrations that road safety has still not been properly addressed and their children continue to have a dangerous journey to school.

“I will continue to support residents in their campaign and keep pushing the council and developers to get the necessary measures in place.”

Matt Western, MP for Leamington and Warwick, added: “I have spoken to parents who are understandably incredibly concerned about road safety around Heathcote Primary School after witnessing several near misses.

"It is dreadful that local parents have to contend with this when sending their children to school.

“The safety of children and their parents coming to and from school is of paramount importance and the road measures being called for should have been in place from the beginning.

“Much credit is due to residents and parents for spearheading this campaign and pressing the developers and county council for the necessary action.

“We are seeing movement in the right direction, but it does not go far enough to ensure the safety of pupils and their parents.

“I hope the county council and developers will act on the calls of campaigners and get the needed measures in place urgently.”

Josie was then encouraged to attend the next Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish Council meeting to speak about the campaign, which was also attended by Cllr Jan Matecki.

Following on from the meeting, Warwickshire County Council said work would be done and on February 20 – less than a month after the safety campaign started – white give way lines were painted on the Garrett Drive junction and yellow zig zags and white lines were refreshed outside the main entrance of the school.

Speaking about the progress so far, Josie said: “I am thrilled with the support I have received from local residents, the school, Matt Collins, Jenny Bevan, Matt Western and the parish council.

"I am also grateful to Jan Matecki for his prompt application of road markings on Vickers Way and I really hope the other plans happen soon.

"The Garrett Drive school entrance should now be the priority.”

A Warwickshire County Council spokesperson said: "We can confirm 'give way' markings have been installed at the Garrett Drive junction with Vickers Way.

"We can also confirm that we will shortly be consulting on introducing double yellow lines on the corners of Garrett Drive at the point where it meets Harbury Lane.

"Beyond this, we are in discussion with the developer about lines and markings on Vickers Way to ensure the best outcome for local residents and pupils."

A spokesperson for Barratt Homes West Midlands added: “We are working closely with Warwickshire County Council to enhance and improve the roads surrounding our Heathcote development, including imminently adding in more white lines.

"Once the works have passed the necessary inspections the roads will be adopted by the Highways Authority.”