Following years of campaigning and children coming close to being hit by cars on a number of occasions, a school crossing patrol has finally been established outside a busy primary school.

The Comet: Round Diamond School crossing patrol person Terry Tyler helps families cross the road outside the school safely. Picture: DANNY LOORound Diamond School crossing patrol person Terry Tyler helps families cross the road outside the school safely. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Danny Loo Photography - all rights reserved)

Terry Tyler, a member of North Herts District Council, is the new school crossing patrol officer for Round Diamond Primary School on Whitehorse Lane in Great Ashby and worked his first shift last Thursday.

He will be in post for 35 minutes at the start and end of each school day to help pupils safely cross the road.

As part of the new safety measures, a larger traffic island with railings has also been created on Great Ashby Way.

Terry said: “After a long campaign trying to establish a safe crossing for the children, it has been achieved and it’s a major milestone for the safety of the kids.

“It’s my pleasure to take on the school crossing patrol role and I’m now working with county and district councillor Steve Jarvis to have signs restricting the speed limit to 20mph on Great Ashby Way when the signs are flashing during school crossing times.”

Headteacher Zoe Phillips said: “We are really pleased. The school and a lot of parents have been campaigning for a number of years for something to be done to make it safer for our children to cross the road.

“Great Ashby Way can be quite a fast road and there have been a couple of near misses. It has been very dangerous and children have nearly been hit by cars on a few ocassions.

“The traffic island helps as a standalone, but the school crossing patrol officer is just what we need.”

Councillor Jarvis, who represents Royston West & Rural at county level and Weston & Sandon for the district, has provided funding for the project through his Highways Locality Budget.

He said: “After a long wait while we got the necessary work done and then found somebody to do the job I’m pleased the crossing so many people campaigned for for so long is at last in place.”

Every county councillor is responsible for recommending how £90,000 of funding should be spent on highways in their area, including road resurfacing, pavement repairs, drainage clearing and traffic calming schemes.

If you have any suggestions for highways improvements in your area you can contact your councillor via democracy.hertfordshire.gov.uk.