Pupils in peril

Pupils at Bare Trees Primary School hold posters up outside the school to warn about traffic danger. Pictured in foreground is Tanisha Akhter (5).

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

CHILDREN took action over road safety after a fellow pupil and campaigner was hit by a car.

Every school year group was represented as pupils from Bare Trees Primary School, Chadderton, held up their hand-made road safety posters to passing drivers and pedestrians.

The call-to-action came after the boy was taken to hospital suffering minor injuries following an incident outside the school gates in Holly Grove.

Year 2 pupil Rahil Rahman (7) said: "It is important we are here with our posters so people can cross the road safely. We need people to drive safely and park far away. We also need to stop, look and listen."

His father Ashikur Rahman, from Chadderton, said: "It is always really busy. People come racing passed which creates a bigger problem. It is dangerous. People forget it is a school.

"Maybe double yellow lines at the entrance would help, or if that fails maybe cameras would help."

Around 20 pupils - all winners and runners-up of a school poster competition - stood at the school gates last Friday morning (19) urging drivers to "slow down."

The schoolboy injured in the incident in April, who lives near to the school, was selected as winner of the poster competition for his year group.

Posters will be merged together to form a large banner carrying a slogan to warn drivers not to park on the zig-zag lines.

Year 6 winner Romoma Rashit (11) said: "My main concern is that more children could get hurt if nothing changes."

Lauren Ward of Bare Trees said: "We have made this a more prominent issue in light of recent events but we still want to do more.

"The safety of the children is our priority."

A parent of the school is setting up a petition to make Holly Grove a 20mph zone in place of the current 30mph speed enforcement.

Road safety officers have also visited the school to educate parents and a walking to school scheme has been set up as part of Bare Trees' efforts to tackle the problem.

Ruzeen Jan, who has four children at the school, said: "The school has been very helpful - they have lollipop ladies and the teachers look after the children.

"But parents still need to take more responsibility."

Her son Arsalan Jan (8) said: "We hope people will stop driving dangerously. It is a busy road and they have to look so they don't put children in danger."

Neighbourhood Beat Officer for Chadderton North Adele Slater said: "There is inconsiderate parking, parking at junctions, parking three-afield. Someone even parked on zig-zag lines while we were stood outside Bare Trees.

"It could be a full-time job."