SCHOOL children are in danger every day due to heavy traffic in Shotton, worried parents warn.

Objections to Flintshire Councils Safer Routes for Communities have been raised over concerns that it will cause an increase in traffic around Ysgol Croes Atti.

Flintshire County Council has obtained funding from the Welsh Government to help address road safety concerns and congestion for the surrounding areas of Ysgol Ty Fynnon and Ysgol Croes Atti.

This was proposed due to concerns over the speed of traffic and hazardous parking in the vicinity of both schools.

However, Dan Read, the chair of governors at Ysgol Croes Atti said their school has been ‘forgotten about’ in the consultation proposals and the plans have not been ‘thought through’.

He said it should not take an accident for action to be taken and the three streets around Ysgol Croes Atti are ‘incredibly unsafe’.

He told the Leader: “Parents are asked to queue outside with their children, as many schools, but there have been instances where cars or vans are trying to pass each other and they are mounting the curb, it’s very dangerous.

“I’ve got a two-year-old and 7-year-old and as much as I tell my 7-year-old to stand next to the fence and not move, every morning he’s excited to meet his friends and bouncing up and down.

“We had a meeting in August with Flintshire Council and told them our concerns, they said they were valid but now we have been ignored. They said they will, instead, make a change that will make the roads even busier and more dangerous.

“It’s called safer routes for communities but it makes no sense whatsoever. It shouldn’t take a serious injury or death for them to say there’s an issue. We know there’s an issue we’ve highlighted it.”

Dan put forward multiple proposals to Flintshire Council back in August for the scheme which he believes would make the areas safer.

These included making King George Street a one-way and re-painting the yellow lines outside the school.

He added: “At the moment we have what is called raised tables, they are going to replace them but unless they replace them with bigger ones, they won’t slow the traffic at all.

“One of the most galling things for me is we have yellow zig zag lines that are worn out and barely visible. Within this scheme they aren’t proposing to re-paint the lines.

“There has been a total disregard for the school. I’m looking at it as a chair of governors and a parent of two children.

“Opposite the school is a residential street so we aren’t proposing to get rid of the parking, we just want it one-way.

“We’ve had these near misses last year and they have continued this year. It isn’t just slow moving traffic either because everyone knows the traffic calming measures there now so not work.

“If there’s proposed work on this street and the street is narrowed again, it will cause more issues and more traffic.”

In an email seen by the Leader, Dan said: “Unfortunately, it now appears the August meeting was a waste of time and my proposals have fallen on deaf ears.

“The actual plans which have come to me today will make no positive difference to our school at all. If anything, making the junction of King George Street and the High Street two way will actually drive more traffic past our school on this side of the site.

“How that fits in with the ethos of the Safer Routes scheme is frankly baffling and beyond me. FCC should be looking at making these streets safer and reduce the traffic, not increase it.

“Our parents are now intending to oppose the scheme en-masse

“As a school we feel there has been a blatant disregard for us, and more importantly the safety of our children. It should not take a serious accident or worse, a death, of one of our children for FCC to take this matter seriously.

“As Chair of Governors at Ysgol Croes Atti I feel proactive action is now needed to bring focus onto our school to aid in making the three streets surrounding the school safe.”

Dan told the Leader that the scheme will have a huge negative impact on the school and it should not take a serious accident on the three streets surrounding the Shotton school for action.

Flintshire Council’s proposals include:

  • A 20mph mandatory, enforceable, speed limit which will help address speeding issues whilst also ensuring the route is brought up to the required standard to promote the usage of active modes of travel.
  • Cycle-friendly traffic calming humps and ‘raised tables’ to slow down traffic ensuring that the proposed 20mph mandatory speed limit is self-enforcing, and to make walking and cycling safer.
  • Resident Parking schemes to provide much needed parking provision for local residents who reside near to the schools.
  • Widening the existing footway to a 3 metre shared use facility into Ysgol Ty Fynnon to make it easier to walk and cycle into the school.
  • Improvements to the existing footpath/Bridleway between Taliesin Avenue and the Job Centre, swimming baths and library. Proposals will also include improved lighting and vegetation clearance along the path.
  • Improvements to the existing footpath/cycle track route that crosses the railway between King George Street and Shotton Lane. Proposals will include improved lighting and vegetation clearance along the path.
  • Parking restrictions to resolve the issue of hazardous parking at junctions.
  • Proposed two way traffic at the junction of King George Street and the B5129 Chester Road West. This will give improved access for residents and vehicles exiting the Charmleys Lane Car Park onto the B5129.

Barry Wilkinson, Highways Network Manager said: “We are currently undertaking a public consultation for schemes on the B5129 through Shotton and in the residential area around King George Street and the two schools, Ysgol Croes Atti and Ysgol Ty Fynnon.

“We welcome comments from the local community to help in the design of these important schemes that will help to make our streets safer and encourage active and sustainable transport.

“The schemes are to be provided as a result of our successful bids to the Welsh Government’s ‘Safe Routes in Communities’ and Local Transport Fund. The consultation closes on 9 November”.