Speed warning signs outside Shrewsbury schools after campaign

The Radbrook Road Safety group has gained nearly 200 members in three months

Vehicle-activated speed warning signs will be set up outside schools after a successful campaign by residents.

People living in Shrewsbury set up Radbrook Road Safety in November 2021 after a schoolboy was knocked off his bike.

The group of around 200 members is also seeking safer crossings, traffic calming and a 20mph speed limit.

They have also raised concerns about the number of vehicles travelling to and from a nearby ambulance depot.

Angela Warren's son was hit by a car, injuring his leg, as he rode home from the Priory School in September 2021.

The first she heard of it was when someone came to her door to say there had been an accident.

"We want to improve the road safety to make sure something bad doesn't happen to anyone else," she said.

Angela Warren's son needed a cast on his leg after he was hit by a car on the way home from school

Mrs Warren has been supported by another resident, Katie Blant, who was inspired to act after her son came home and said he was sworn at by a motorist.

She said her first reaction was to go out and confront the driver, but then decided it was better to do something about road safety in the area.

Ms Blant wants to see a 20mph zone set up around in the area surrounding the Priory and Meole Brace secondary schools and Radbrook Primary School.

"At the moment we're looking at the whole infrastructure of the road to make it so the children can cross over the refuges in the middle of the road safely," she said.

Katie Blant said: "Some people have no understanding that a child could come out in to the road."

Ms Blant also raised concerns about the location of an ambulance hub just off Longden Road which was granted planning permission as a maintenance hub in 2012.

She believes it is increasingly being used by ambulances responding to emergency calls and said: "They go on to Longden Road and there is nowhere for the cars to move out of the way so they have to mount the kerb where there is children."

Town councillor Chris Lemon said he had spoken to many people living near the depot and found there was "increasing concern" about number of vehicles using it.

He said it would be better located in an area with access to the A5.

Councillor Lemon said there was a "growing movement to see if that (ambulance) hub can be moved".

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) insisted: "The number of ambulance movements along Longden Road has not changed in some years."

And it added: "Our ambulances only use the base for meal breaks and at the start and end of shifts and the rest of the time they are in the community dealing with patients."

WMAS also points out there has not been a collision involving a pedestrian in the West Midlands for more than three years, and it had responded to more than four million calls in that time.

"Our crews are acutely aware of the two schools on the road and drive accordingly," it said, adding it would not oppose the introduction of a 20mph speed limit in the area.

The ambulance depot on Longden Road was given planning permission in 2012

Mr Lemon believes that progress will continue to be made.

The Green Party councillor said: "We've had lots of hopeful talk from people at Shropshire Council about safety measures in and around Radbrook."

A second meeting of the group is due to be held on Friday evening.

Ms Blant said: "Meole Brace School, Priory School, Radbrook School, the police, highways, the council - we're all trying to go for the same thing."