Roadworks to create new safe school zone to protect children in Bilston and ease congestion
Motorists are facing roadworks along a busy street to create a new safe school zone in Bilston intended to ease congestion and protect pupils.
The latest city council project is aiming to improve road safety for hundreds more children and their families in streets around Bilston Nursery School in Wolverhampton Street.
Following consultation with the community the scheme will see new and improved warning signs installed along with pedestrian crossing refuges in the High Street in the town centre nearby and 20mph limits on surrounding roads.
The council said the initiative will make it safer for families to leave the car behind and walk or cycle to and from the nursery school, help ease congestion and parking issues at school gates in the vicinity and encouraging active healthier lifestyles and improving air quality.
The work will begin on Monday (September 15) and is expected to finish on September 26, weather permitting. The majority of work will take place at night, between 7pm and 5am.
A consultation was held and executive headteacher at Bilston Nursery School, Emma Smith, is among those who have welcomed the plans. She said: “I am so pleased to know that these measures are going to be in place helping to keep my pupils safe.”
Wolverhampton Council’s transport chief Councillor Qaiser Azeem said: “Road safety is of the utmost importance to the council, particularly where children are walking to schools and nurseries in large numbers.
“This area connects to a busy high street with shops on both sides and lots of pedestrians crossing all the time. Reducing speeds on approach ensures drivers are travelling at a safer speed as they reach this point. This will help protect children and others on their daily journey prioritising safer, healthier, and more sustainable neighbourhoods.”
