Hamble School concerns at 'unsafe' Satchell Lane

Pupils have been encouraged to use the school's Hamble Lane entrance

Students are facing an "unsafe" walk to school because of a lack of a footpath, a head teacher has said.

There is currently only a grass verge alongside Satchell Lane which up to 200 pupils and parents use to get to and from Hamble School near Southampton.

The school said it has been forced to encourage pupils to use one alternative entrance which makes social distancing more difficult during the pandemic.

Hampshire County Council said it had to "prioritise limited resources".

Satchell Lane provides access for the school as well as a neighbouring gym and nursery, with pedestrians having to walk on the grass verge.

Because of the lack of pavement, students have been encouraged to use an alternative entrance on Hamble Lane.

The road is also used by people accessing a gym and nursery

Head teacher Alaric Govan has backed calls for a 280m length of footpath along Satchell Lane.

He said: "The local area has expanded and urbanised over 15 years and the pavements are lacking.

"It's a country road, during the winter is dark and cars come round at 30-40 mph. I just worry about people making their way down here."

"It would be great to have two entrances - I'm asking 1,100 students to go through one exit at the moment because the Satchell Lane end is unsafe because of the lack of a pavement."

Eastleigh MP Paul Holmes said the lack of pavement was "a real safety issue".

"Pupils should have safe access to both sides of the school. In a Covid world, the school is not being able to plan properly - the children are forced to to use one [entrance]," he said.

A Hampshire County Council spokesman said: "We appreciate that some parents would want improvements to Satchell Lane, but we must prioritise our limited resources in improvements which would be of significant benefit to the community and where there is no alternative available."

Satchell Lane has no paved footpath