Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Council out of line
Bosses admit blunder over plans to introduce new traffic safety measures at primary school
Council bosses have apologised for failing to introduce increased traffic safety measures outside Chapelhall Primary School that were green-lit more than a year ago – blaming a staff change for the oversight.
Back in November 2016, the Advertiser reported how a petition signed by more than 700 concerned residents led to the local authority agreeing to restrict parking in the area.
Two months later, Chapelhall mum Uta Langnickel- Miller – who put together the petition after she was struck on the side by a reversing vehicle in Russell Street near the school gates while walking with four youngsters – revealed she was informed by the council they were going to install double yellow lines outside the school.
However, Uta and other parents’ frustrations grew when no such safety measures were put in place and the 39-year-old former childminder contacted Airdrie South councillor Michael Coyle for an explanation.
Uta told the Advertiser: “The fact the council agreed to put down double yellow lines over a year ago and still haven’t done so is absolutely shocking.
“I was mystified as to why it was taking so long so got in touch with Councillor Coyle to see if he could shed any light on the matter.
“He told me that he’d found out the head of the council’s roads department has changed and the new person in the role didn‘t know anything about the Chapelhall Primary plans.
“I find it hard to believe that something like this could slip through the net. Do people at the council not communicate with each other?”
Councillor Coyle, who backed Uta’s petition and organised community meetings for parents concerned about the traffic issues at Chapelhall Primary in late 2016, will be meeting with the council “in the near future” to ensure the previously proposed safety measures are put in place.
Mr Coyle added: “Parents remain very worried about the traffic at the school as people are still parking poorly and we need to get the council to introduce these double yellow lines as soon as possible. The council have been in touch to arrange a meeting and I remain 100 per cent behind Uta and the other parents looking for this matter to be resolved.”
A council spokesperson said: “As a result of staff changes in the roads service, this work was not carried out and we apologise to residents for this.
“The service has contacted Councillor Michael Coyle to set up a meeting to discuss the work and we will arrange to have the work carried out as quickly as practical.”