Safer routes to school: Our Lady and St Oswald’s Primary School

Shropshire Council has been working with Our Lady and St Oswald’s Catholic Primary School to look at ways to encourage more walking to school and to improve safety on the school journey.

What were the concerns?

• Pedestrian safety when crossing Upper Brook Street.
• Pedestrian safety when crossing at the junction of Oswald Place.
• Space for vehicles passing each other on Upper Brook Street and vehicles mounting the pavement outside of the school.

What has been done?

Following consultation earlier this year, the following proposals were approved for implementation by the Area Regulatory Committee North (Oswestry) on 1st September 2009:

• Installation of a raised junction “table” at the junction of Upper Brook Street / Oswald Well Lane to slow vehicle speeds through the junction and improve access across the junction for pedestrians. [item/]
• Construction of a zebra crossing near to the school access accompanied by a footway build-out to improve the safety of pedestrians crossing near to parked vehicles.
• Introduction of hatched road markings adjacent to the small buildout. These road markings are considered to be necessary to provide adequate warning of the presence of the buildout when the area is free from parked vehicles.
• Introduction of a priority system for vehicles on Upper Brook Street with a small footway buildout to accommodate the priority sign.
• A 20mph zone on Upper Brook Street.

A plan showing the concept design for this scheme is attached to this page.

Construction and opening

The scheme was constructed in October 2009. The scheme was officially opened by Keith Barrow, Shropshire Councillor for the south of Oswestry who cut a ribbon with the pupils from the school who won the council’s competition to design the artwork for the new 20mph signs.
Monitoring

A review of the scheme and the need for two zebra crossings in close proximity to each other will be carried out six months after opening.

Back to top