Residents appeal for crossing after child injured in road collision

Residents Tim Broughton, Lynne Cooney, Mary Carter, and Ros Jackson on St Bernard's Avenue where they would like the new crossing.

A busy Louth road has seen a child injured in a collision, and councillors and residents alike have renewed their appeal for a safe crossing system.

Lincolnshire Police were called to reports that a child had been in collision with a car at the junction of Broadley Crescent on St Bernard’s Avenue shortly before 4pm on Wednesday September 13.

Officers attended the scene, along with paramedics and crews from the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance, who provided initial treatment at the roadside before the girl was airlifted to hospital.

Thankfully, it was determined that her injuries were not as serious as initially thought.

If anyone witnessed the incident, you are asked to call 101 with any information, quoting incident 292 of September 13.

And now Ros Jackson and Lynne Cooney, who are both town councillors and residents, are leading an appeal to Lincolnshire County Council to install a safe crossing system, such as a crossing patrol, speed bumps, pedestrian crossing, or zebra crossing on the road near to the mini-roundabout junction with Monks Dyke Road.

She said: “The residents and Trinity Ward councillors are calling for Lincolnshire County Council to install a crossing from Laceyfields onto St Bernard’s Avenue near the Monks Dyke Rd, because of the increase of traffic in that area.

"We have no school crossing patrol, the only crossing is at the bottom of the road and has no appropriate pelican system so there have been numerous near misses.

“I’m calling on LCC to make the crossing of St Bernard’s and Monks Dyke Roads safer for children. There is no price on a life and LCC need to take on board what local councillors are asking for.”

Ros added: “How many more will this happen to until something is done? We’ve been calling for traffic calming measures for ages, in other areas where there is a school there is a 20mph speed limit, or signs or a crossing, but there’s nothing here – it’s a nightmare.”

Many residents of St Bernard’s Avenue have also called for something to be done.

June Rudkin said: “It’s about time something was done, the crossing down the other end is too near to the main road and not close enough to the school [Laceyfields Junior School], we need speed cameras up to slow people down.

Richard Patchett, who lives on the avenue, added: “People drive too fast up here and we need a zebra crossing or something like that – everyone says this is long overdue.”

Tim Broughton added: “It's so dangerous, when people park on the roads and on corners, you can’t see what's coming and it’s only a matter of time before a child is killed.”

Fellow resident Mary Carter added: “Something should be done, there should be speed cameras on this bit of road or a crossing at the least.”

Mayor and chairman of the Louth Town Council, Julia Simmons, said that the council has appealed to Lincolnshire County Council for a crossing or other traffic calming measures at this area of St Bernard’s Avenue in the past and are awaiting for a reply.

A spokesman for Lincolnshire County Council confirmed that Coun Sarah Parkin, county councillor for Louth South, has raised Lynne's concerns with LCC and due process will now be undertaken to assess what action may be needed, that LCC and the LRSP are looking into the site and will liaise with councillors on the findings.

The Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership are currently recruiting for School Crossing Patrols at various locations in Louth, including Monks Dyke Road.

If anyone would be interested in taking on this role, contact the LRSP by emailing [email protected]