Portslade school crossing campaigners face another wait

Campaigners face another lengthy wait to find out if their plea for a crossing outside a Portslade school is a success.

Hundreds of people signed a petition calling for a crossing patrol near St Peter’s Community Primary School in St Peter’s Road.

With the south coast’s busiest port on its doorstep, industrial units nearby and a major arterial road just yards away, those on the school run said a few road safety measures would make it a lot less perilous.

But, despite raising the issue more than a year ago, campaigners were told yesterday (Tuesday June 24) that they will have to wait until October for Brighton and Hove City Council to make a decision.

The news has been greeted with astonishment from locals.

Ward councillor Alan Robins said: “It is deeply frustrating that this has been delayed yet again. The local community is fully behind a crossing for the school.

“I thought the council had been consulting on this over the last few months, so why on earth do we need another consultation that will take yet more time to tell us what we already know?

“Instead of continually delaying things, the Council should just get on with it and give the community the crossing they have been asking for.”

The issue was first raised at a town hall meeting in July 2013.

After a further plea in October 2013, the council’s environment, transport and sustainability (ETS) committee, promised a report into their request would be discussed at a committee meeting in January.

But the deadline was missed because the council said further surveys and public consultation work was necessary.

Now campaigners claim they have been told the stretch of highway between the junctions with St Nicholas Road and Church Street does meet the criteria.

However, consultation of local business and residents must take place before a concrete decision is taken at a meeting in October.

Speaking at a town hall meeting last year, parent Rae Powers, who lives in Norway Street, Portslade, said: “It’s children versus articulated lorries, it’s not a fair competition.

“All the neighbouring schools have adequate crossings, we have none. And they do not have gravel lorries they are fighting against.”

In response, Councillor Pete West, chairman of the council’s environment, transport and sustainability committee, said the local authority was restricted financially and was not able to do everything it wanted to.