Chester schools to benefit from improved safety outside the school gates

Parents, guardians and pupils in Chester will see an increase in safety messages on roads surrounding primary schools, thanks to funding from David Keane police and crime commissioner (PCC) for Cheshire.

Two schools and a parish council from three community policing areas have been successful in their applications for funding from the Commissioner’s Community Policing fund. 

Chester Blue Coat Primary school situated on Walpole Street will use its funding to help school children design road safety signs and banners to be placed outside the school gates.  The signs will display safety messages and reminders on how to park safely.

The school has three entrances and exits meaning that drop-off and pick-up times can cause unsafe and inconsiderate parking. The school has concerns around pupil safety and believe by getting the young people involved, this will help cascade the messages to those at home.

Similarly, in Boughton, Cherry Grove Primary school will use its funds to purchase signage and banners which will display warning messages and reminders to park safely and consider young peoples’ safety.

There are growing concerns due to the location of the school on Chapel Lane and this is affecting the whole school and local residents.

Hargrave and Huxley parish council applied for funding to install village gates at the site of 20mph zone outside Huxley Primary School, to encourage drivers to slow right down.

It is hoped the gates will draw attention to the reduced speed limit and make Huxley’s roads safer. The project will be led by the parish council with members of the community and link with the school safety messages.

Whilst the funding will be used in different ways across the three locations, all the schemes focus on improving safety outside the school grounds and look to educate drivers of the dangers for children. 

All of those involved will work alongside their dedicated PCSO to raise awareness of the dangers, educate and inform parents and guardians of how they can play their role in improving road safety.  Involving the young people will be fundamental to the success.

PCC David Keane said: “Road safety is a big concern across the county.  School drop-offs and pick-ups can generate lots of traffic in a short space of time, often in already busy residential areas.

“Parents and guardians often don’t realise how their parking impacts on others and the dangers it can pose to young people trying to cross the roads safely.

“These projects will look to harness the influence our young people have on the people they live with and it’s hoped by working together, improved road safety can be achieved.

“I look forward to seeing the finished signage and hearing more about the impacts these projects have been able to achieve.”

The Community Police Fund links directly to the recently launched initiative to increase police visibility in every community by providing a dedicated Police Constable (PC) and Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) for all 122 areas.  The fund has been developed using money seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act (PoCA) 2002 and looks to reinvest it back into communities.