An 'angry and frustrated' dad fears another child could be killed in Liverpool if action is not taken on a busy road.
Last week, Charlie Lowe, 10, tragically died in hospital after being hit by a Ford Puma on Abingdon Road, Walton. People living on the road rushed to help Charlie before paramedics took him to hospital, where he died from his injuries.
In October, Jacob Sheridan, nine, was terrified after a near miss as he crossed the road to meet a friend outside Gilmour Junior School in Garston, and was left suffering from flashbacks and increased anxiety. Months on from that episode, his dad Hugh, told the ECHO little had changed and he feared things could get worse, amid another youngster being hit by a vehicle in Mossley Hill on Tuesday.
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Mr Sheridan said: “The more near misses there are, the law of probabilities will mean higher risk of children being knocked down. It is imminent at many schools in South Liverpool for a number of reasons. Following the article in October I have followed up all channels open to my wife and myself and for the benefit of all 322 pupils at the school.
“The immediate temporary outcome has been for cones to be placed within 10 metres of each of the four school gates in order to improve 360 vision for the children and the drivers.” Despite this, Mr Sheridan said there had been a “number of near misses” outside the school and the walk between the junior and infant sites in Garston.
Jacob’s dad said he wanted to take action “out of sheer frustration, coupled with the news last week of Charlie Lowe.” After Mr Sheridan contacted the ECHO last year, Liverpool Council undertook a site visit which proposed the exploration of a number of traffic calming measures around the school to “reduce the number of vehicle conflicts and dangerous manoeuvres.”
Mr Sheridan added: “I have exhausted all routes to affect any change at this school and yet I have to watch other schools across Liverpool actively taking action with risk reducing cones. There is a huge amount of anger across the city on this issue at many schools.
“My son was lucky last year, sadly I think Charlie Lowe’s death in a 20mph zone and the thought of his brother sitting on the side of the road crying is going to strike fear into the hearts of all parents in Liverpool and school going children deserve better.”
In an email to Mr Sheridan, seen by the ECHO, Mufu Durowoju, interim divisional manager for highways, said Liverpool Council “takes the matter of road safety seriously” and subject to funding, will aim to expedite the installation of road safety measures to protect its citizens. Mr Durowoju apologised for the delay in undertaking previously identified measures, putting this down to lack of resources in the team.
The officer wrote how the installation of wooden bollards, pedestrian guardrails and school warning signs had all been identified, alongside the painting of a 90m single yellow line and 80m double yellow lines. Additionally, the first phase of work would include three no waiting signs and a street lighting column.
Mr Durowoju said a second phase could lead to the introduction of a one-way system. A quote has been received for the work from Liverpool Streetscene Limited but the officer said no date could be identified for work to be completed owing to a delay on delivery of guardrails.
Work is expected to get underway in the next four weeks. Mr Durowoju added: “The phase two works require consultation and the making of the relevant Traffic Regulation Orders. Subject to positive consultation outcome this could take between four and six months to deliver.”
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