New signs have been displayed by concerned residents pleading with drivers on a busy Letchworth road to ‘kill your speed, not our children’, after campaigners struggled for many years to have a pedestrian crossing installed.
The Norton Action Group has been working with North Herts district councillor Helen Oliver to have a crossing put in on Norton Road, which they have been told is “not a priority”.
A number of households have displayed the signs outside their homes to remind drivers that the speed limit is 30mph.
Member of the Norton Action Group Kevin Hinton told the Comet: “The safety of school children and their parents navigating Norton Road still remains an issue hence the Norton Action Group initiative to place signs “Kill your Speed Not our Children”.
“Despite numerous approaches to the authorities no actions have been taken to build a footpath, on the Croft Lane side, or build a controlled crossing by the school.
“The Highways Agency has stated it is low priority as no one has been killed – as a local council representative, Helen has had numerous meetings without any success in changing mind set or action.”
Labour councillor Helen Oliver, alongside her colleague Daniel Allen, has backed the campaign to have the crossing installed for years.
She told the Comet: “I can see why the residents of Norton Road have decided to take their own action. They’ve spoken to people at Herts County Council, and also to the local police force.
“They are trying to remind everybody that this is a village you are driving through and I really hope that people will take notice. I think a good number of people may see the emotive message behind the sign and think that speeding through the village can have some serious consequences.”
A spokesman for Hertfordshire County Council said: “Hertfordshire County Council takes highway safety extremely seriously and works closely with the police to improve road safety in the county.
“We would of course like to address all road safety issues on our roads. However, because we do not have limitless core funding, and with over 2,000 personal injury collisions on our 3,400-mile network we have to direct our resources to those areas where our work has the greatest potential to reduce the number and severity of collisions and casualties that occur.
“Work continues to identify options and funding sources for improvements to Norton Road. While we fully understand residents’ concerns, we do not advocate or support the use of non-standard/authorised road safety signage as there is a small but increased risk of driver distraction when their focus should be on the road ahead.”
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