A HEADTEACHER has raised concerns about the safety of a bend outside a school after an ambulance overturned.

Mark Lewis, head at Thomas Alleyne School in Stevenage, told the Comet he has been speaking with Hertfordshire Highways about what can be done to improve the safety of the bend on James Way in the Old Town after two accidents in a matter of weeks.

Last Monday an ambulance overturned on the corner by the school when two crew members were returning to the station after completing a shift, while a fence in front of the school was damaged following another crash last month.

“From the school’s perspective we’re concerned for the safety of our students which is of paramount importance to us,” said Mr Lewis.

“We make sure they are supervised when arriving at school and when they leave the school gates but we’ve been in communication with Hertfordshire Highways about the safety of that bend for a number of months.”

Stevenage resident James Melbourne has called for traffic calming measures such as humps to be introduced before a serious accident occurs.

He said: “We hear the squealing of tyres regularly on this corners as drivers, bearing down from the dual carriageway in Lytton Way and Hitchin Road, underestimate the acuteness of the bend immediately in front of the school.

“During peak traffic periods, the schoolchildren are in groups going to and from the school where there is a dropped kerb immediately in front of the gates. I fear that unless this junction is modified very soon there could be a serious accident involving pedestrians. I believe the whole junction should be ‘calmed’ from the Lytton Way and Hitchin Road junction.”

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Highways said: “Before the accident involving an ambulance last week, the last recorded injury accident occurred five years ago. Consequently, the road does not meet the criteria which we use to implement changes. We currently have no safety concerns as it is well signposted with 30 mph signs and has adequate and visible road markings.”