‘It’s an accident waiting to happen’
SPEEDERS, crashes and too many near misses have rattled those living along a collection of streets in Altrincham for a number of years.
Families with homes along Bridgewater Road, Brunswick Road, Navigation Road, Grosvenor Road, Gaskell Road, Hazel Road and Sandiway Road in the town say they are living in fear for their children’s safety.
Now, a group of neighbours who have had enough are calling for the council to take action and impose a 20mph zone of all streets north of Altrincham town centre, between the Bridgewater Canal, A56 and the railway.
Headmistress of Navigation Primary School on Hawarden Road, Joanne Patterson, is backing the plans. She said the school first began staggering its arrival times due to Covid restrictions but they now plan to keep the policy in place to help manage road safety around the school, particularly in the mornings.
She said: “A small minority floor it [past the school], it’s heart in mouth for children and residents and with all of the parking issues. It is a busy road.”
Beth Evens, 49, and a mum of one, also lives in the affected area and is supporting the calls for a 20mph zone.
She said: “The lollipop man who works outside Navigation School told me it’s the worst junction he’s ever worked on. It’s heart in mouth sometimes. As a family we’re talking through the safe crossing places with our daughter. And what if they’re driving more than 30mph, which they often are, it doesn’t bear thinking about.
Elaine Stanker also lives in the area and has now launched a petition demanding Trafford council take the issue seriously. The grandmother said: “We just want to eliminate accidents before they happen, you don’t want to wait until an accident happens to get these plans set in motion. They’re going to kill somebody.”
A total of 430 people have now signed the petition on the council’s website.
Trafford Green party councillors Mike Welton and Geraldine Coggins are pushing the petition locally after their group put forward a motion calling for 20mph zones in Trafford’s residential areas last year.
Coun Welton said: “The drivers get to the end of the one-way system [on Navigation Road] and absolutely floor it. You’ve got kids coming out of the schools, bikes on pavements, delivery drivers under time pressure hamming it down the road, perennial parking issues, narrow roads - it’s an accident waiting to happen.
“No one is saying that putting 20mph is going to solve the problem, but it’s a start.”
Coun Coggins said: “It’s about creating the vibe and the character of the area and there is evidence that it’s good for children’s results and outcomes as well.
“Walking to school, that blast of fresh air, they say just 100m is enough to improve that awareness level – and that’s not to mention the effects on obesity levels. At the moment that’s going in the wrong direction, but we should be doing everything we can to slow that down.”