Road barriers introduced at Tollbar Academy to protect pupils, parents and staff

Barriers will be positioned at the vehicle entrances at school arrival and pick up times to stop motorists waiting in these areas when either dropping off or collecting students at Tollbar Academy.

To raise awareness of the safety concerns surrounding school drop offs, a road safety campaign will be taking place on Monday 28 February. This will see a team of staff from different local organisations including Tollbar Academy, EQUANS Traffic team, Safer Roads Humber, local police and parking enforcement be present in the area in front of the Academy between 2.30pm and 4pm. They will reinforce road safety messaging, raise awareness of the dangers of inappropriate and unsafe parking and answer any queries from parents and pupils to support the Academy as they introduce this action.

Entry into the Academy grounds is only available for buses and taxis during these peak times. The risk to motorists and student safety comes from a minority of people using the entrances as a pull-in to drop off or collect students, or to turn their cars around and during the busy school arrival and leaving times.

The barriers, will be managed by Academy staff to maintain access for the buses and taxis.

“When cars pull in to wait within these areas, it’s the equivalent of parking in the mouth of a junction,” says Debbie Swatman, the Traffic Team Manager, who’s leading the initiative for EQUANS, North East Lincolnshire Council’s regeneration partner.

“Buses and taxis can’t enter the school grounds until the waiting vehicles have moved which in turn creates congestion on Station Road. It also means that there’s more risk of an accident happening as car drivers and pupils leaving the school are in the same limited space.  We’ve been made aware of the safety issues around these accesses and have worked closely with the Academy to put something in place to try to sort this out.”

Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for environment and transport said: “Protecting staff and students, while helping prevent serious incidents, is a top priority at the council, and I know that the vast majority of parents will support us. This is a very busy location, especially during those peak times, and it’s important we do what we can to get people to and from school safely every day.”