LIBERAL GROUP Wyre Forest District Council

Birmingham Road Crossing Delay condemned...

In a joint statement today local County Councillor Fran Oborski and local District Councillor Rachel Lewis say they "are extremely worried and concerned by further delays in the provision of a Pelican Crossing on the A456 Birmingham Road by St Ambrose Catholic Church."

"Work was supposed to be completed by the end of next week and in fact we do not even have a new start date for the project which has been pushed back by the Tory run County Council until sometime in the new financial year which starts on April 1st."

"Given that this is a long promised "safe routes to schools" scheme on a very dangerous main road you would think that the County Council would be anxious to press ahead with the project to offer the maximum possible safety for local youngsters on their way to school."

"The further delay will now add to the problems faced by parents taking their youngsters to St Ambrose Catholic Primary School."

"Having merged its Infant and Junior Departments onto one site the School is about to undergo a major rebuild on what was the old Junior site. That means there will be no onsite parking for parents dropping off and collecting children for best part of a year. There is absolutely no on street parking available to parents on the immediately surrounding residential roads."

"The delay in providing the Pelican Crossing will mean that crossing Birmingham Road on foot will remain hazardous for parents from across Kidderminster bringing their children to the towns only Catholic Primary School. It is likely that with the temporary loss of onsite parking at the school more parents may wish to cross Birmingham Road on foot. The failure to deliver the Pelican Crossing on schedule renders that a far less attractive and potentially more hazardous alternative than it should been had the Pelican Crossing already arrived."

"Yet again the County Council has failed the local community. We urge them to get on with installing the Pelican Crossing without further delay!"