A concerned mother is lobbying for changes in Arlesey High Street as lorries and buses continuously mount the pavement during her daily walk to to school.
Denise Brazier walks with her three children to Gothic Mede Academy every day and often fears for their safety when walking down the High Street as heavy goods vehicles use the pavement to squeeze through the tight road.
She told the Comet: “I was walking to school with my daughter’s school bag on my shoulder and a lorry got so close it actually clipped the bag.
“I just thought if that was my daughter holding the bag it could have knocked her down – or what if the bag somehow became attached? She would have been dragged along, and the driver wouldn’t even realise.
“There’s so many children and women with buggies walking there. It’s a matter of time before a child is killed on this road.
“It keeps me up at night, I stress about it. What else is there I can do? Not take my kids to school?”
Denise is concerned that with Central Bedfordshire Council’s local plan – which brings 2,000 new homes to Arlesey – will bring more HGVs and add to the problem.
A council spokesman said: “The new housing developments coming to Arlesey will bring with them relief roads that will be accessed off the main A507, which will take lorries off the High Street. After those are in place, we will also be able to put in traffic calming measures along the High Street.
“In the meantime, we have liaised with the police about overweight lorries, and have worked with companies to see if the lorries can take better routes when making local deliveries, such as through Fairfield. However, there are currently roadworks in Fairfield which are again pushing traffic back through Arlesey High Street.
“The council has also adopted an area-wide policy to encourage parents to use sustainable transport to get to school, such as walking. That can also help reduce the number of everyday vehicles near schools, and so help ease congestion.”
Denise took a video of three lorries, buses and a number of cars coming down the High Street, with the majority of them mounting the curb.
It also shows three women with pushchairs waiting for the traffic to come off the path before continuing their walk.
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