'I always feel uneasy along the causeway': School campaigns to reduce speed limit

CHILDREN at a Dorset primary school are campaigning to have the speed limits reduced so they can ‘safely walk to school.’

Children, parents, and teachers at Stoborough Primary School are lobbying to reduce the speed limit along the Wareham Causeway from 40mph to 30mph.

On Thursday, June 27, the students held their handmade placards and posters, hoping to gather some momentum for their cause.

Beccy Spicer, deputy head teacher at Stoborough Primary School, said: “Our children are saying they don’t feel safe on their way to school.

“These children are our future, and I think we need to listen to them, and we need to put things right to help them.”

Beccy said the school surveyed the parents, asking them whether they would feel safe if their child were to walk, cycle, or scoot from Wareham to Stoborough.

She said 70 per cent of parents said no.

They then asked, if the speed limit was reduced, would you be more likely to walk to school? 56 per cent said yes, and 81 per cent agreed the speed limit should be reduced.

One parent, Carey Morton, said: “I walk my children from Wareham to Stoborough Primary school each day. I always feel uneasy along the Causeway.

“The pavement is very narrow, and the cars come very close to you, 40mph is just too fast for that stretch of road.”

Carey added: “The simple fact is, it doesn’t gain a driver much time as it’s sandwiched between two 30mph zones.

“I think the increased stopping distances and increased risk of death (if a child were to be hit at 40mph) is not worth the 10 seconds of time saved for the driver…nobody should be in that much of a rush.”

Ten-year-old Eleanor goes to Stoborough Primary, she said: “It doesn’t feel very safe when cars are zooming."

Holly, aged ten, said: “We want the cars to go slower, so we can feel safe walking to school.”

Leah, 10, said she wants more people to walk to school, as it will reduce the number of cars and improve people’s health.

She said: “We’ve made signs for the peaceful protest, and we used special pens which are really bright and make the sign look really pretty.”

Ella said she wants to ask the council to ‘please reduce the speed limit because it’s making people feel unsafe.”

Charlie, 11, added: “Sometimes I scoot down the causeway to the park, and last time, a car went really fast and nearly hit me and my younger brother.”