Brighton primary school pupil petitions council for safer crossing

An eight-year-old girl from Brighton was applauded by councillors after asking them for a safer crossing outside her primary school in Hollingdean today (Thursday 18 July).

Silan Oghan, a pupil at St Joseph’s RC Primary School, handed in a petition of more than 100 signatures to a meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council at Brighton Town Hall.

She asked councillors “to make part of Davey Drive outside St Joseph’s RC Primary School and Lindfield Court a safer place for pedestrians to cross”.

She urged them to extend the zig-zag lines outside the school and said: “This would allow pedestrians crossing the road at the new steps to have a better view of oncoming traffic.”

St Joseph’s teacher and parent Samantha Simson also spoke to councillors. She said: “Every day parents, carers and their children take their lives in their hands when trying to cross outside the school.

“It is also situated next door to a sheltered housing scheme whose residents are always looking for a safe place to cross.

“The situation is worsened by the fact that there are bus stops both directly opposite and a short distance up the road.

“Parents are continually talking about near misses that happen all the time and one day there is going to be a serious accident with a child either seriously hurt or killed.”

Councillor Ian Davey said: “Much work has been going on and I’m pleased that’s starting to bring some positive results.”

He said that the rules prevented the council from extending the zig-zag markings on one side only but a disabled parking bay was an obstacle. If the bay was moved it would affect its regular user.

Councillor Davey added: “Work will continue.” He promised a further response at the next meeting of the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee in October.