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'Cars don't stop at crossing outside our school'

Simon Thake
BBC News, Yorkshire
Simon Thake The legs of two school children, one walking and one on a scooter as they stand in front of a zebra crossingSimon Thake
Rotherham MP Sarah Champion has been contacted by concerned parents who say the Broom Lane crossing is increasingly dangerous

A group of parents have said their children's school run is becoming increasingly dangerous because of a "nightmare" zebra crossing.

They told the BBC that drivers often fail to stop for pedestrians on Broom Lane in Rotherham or set off again when Sitwell Junior School pupils are still on the crossing.

Local MP, Sarah Champion, wrote to Rotherham Council with her concerns and said it was "only a matter of time before a serious incident occurred" if the crossing's layout was not changed.

The council said that South Yorkshire Police would now "routinely monitor" the road.

Simon Thake A woman in glassed stands arms folded in front of a zebra crossingSimon Thake
Kayleigh Shad walks her daughter to school each morning. She described the Broom Lane crossing as "an absolute nightmare"

Rose Wilson, who works at the school, said the situation was "terrifying".

"On one occasion I was crossing the road and a white van stopped but the car behind it swerved around the van. If I hadn't jumped out of the way I'd have been hit.

"I pretty much expect it to happen now."

Kayleigh Shad walks her daughter to school each morning and has also experienced near-misses.

"On a few occasions I've been in the middle of the crossing and cars continue to just keep driving. They just don't stop.

"It's an absolute nightmare"

The council no longer provides school crossing patrol cover at Broom Lane and parent Kay Simkin said this was because a lollipop lady had resigned following abusive behaviour by drivers.

She has called for an upgraded crossing with traffic lights.

She added: "We really need a proper pedestrian crossing. The old crossing lady got abuse for holding the traffic up.

"It wasn't fair."

Cars fail to stop at Rotherham zebra crossing

Champion was contacted directly by constituents and was told by the council's chief executive Sharon Kemp that Broom Lane fell within an area covered by a government scheme promoting access for walking and cycling.

Because of this, the council were able to give the reported issues "greater consideration than resources would normally allow," she added.

At a council meeting, Cabinet member for transport Robert Taylor confirmed that neighbourhood policing teams would patrol the street more regularly to "improve driving standards".

Simon Thake A woman with fair hair in a pony tail and a black hoodie stands looking cross in front of a zebra crossingSimon Thake
Rose Wilson works early mornings at Sitwell Junior School less than five minutes from the crossing. She says she now "expects" near misses.

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