School gate safety fears and village roads like racetracks – Doncaster residents share their concerns

It is home time for youngsters at their Doncaster school.
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But parents at Castle Hills Primary on Jossey Lane, Scawthorpe, are worried.

Earlier this month, mums and dads saw an ambulance and police arrive, after a youngster was injured in a collision with a car nearby.

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They watched as the youngster was put into the ambulance and taken away for treatment after the incident on Friday October 9.

PCSO Julie Gibson, pictured carrying out a Speed Check on Watch House Lane. Picture: NDFP-20-10-20 SpeedCheck 5-NMSYPCSO Julie Gibson, pictured carrying out a Speed Check on Watch House Lane. Picture: NDFP-20-10-20 SpeedCheck 5-NMSY
PCSO Julie Gibson, pictured carrying out a Speed Check on Watch House Lane. Picture: NDFP-20-10-20 SpeedCheck 5-NMSY

Now they’re campaigning for more road safety measures – at a time when there are concerns over serious injuries on Doncaster’s roads.

They are not the only ones in Doncaster worried about road safety. All three MPs have raised concerns.

Elsewhere in the borough, residents have also been calling for action over speeding in their streets, and 2019 saw a rise in incidents involving injury on the borough’s roads.

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South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership figures show injuries suffered on the roads in Doncaster has generally been falling for 20 years. But in the last complete year, 2019, saw the first rise since 2015, and a 20 per cent rise in cases involving death or serious injury compared with 2018.

Jacque Barrass (front right), pictured with other concerned residents on Cemetery Road, Hatfield. Picture: NDFP-20-10-20 CemeteryRd 1-NMSYJacque Barrass (front right), pictured with other concerned residents on Cemetery Road, Hatfield. Picture: NDFP-20-10-20 CemeteryRd 1-NMSY
Jacque Barrass (front right), pictured with other concerned residents on Cemetery Road, Hatfield. Picture: NDFP-20-10-20 CemeteryRd 1-NMSY

Mum of two Julie Murray is one of those mums concerned about safety on the roads outside Castle Hills. She said leaders at the school had asked for more to be done, but fears it is not just at Castle Hills where more needs to be done to keep pupils safe on the roads.

"There are a lot of parents who feel this way,” she said."There are too many cars parked outside the school, making it difficult for the children to cross.

“There was an accident outside the school recently where a young lad got knocked over. It was rumoured that he broke his leg.

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"We want to see something done, like more zig-zag lines to stop people parking.

Parents are appealing for road safety measures outside Castle Hills Primary School in Scawthorpe. Pictured outside the school on Jossey Lane are Nicola Tyas, Gabrielle Allen, Helen Ward, Nellie-Anne Ward-Cannon, Julie Murray, Abigail Murray and Daniel Murray.  Picture: NDFP-13-10-20 RoadSafety 1-NMSYParents are appealing for road safety measures outside Castle Hills Primary School in Scawthorpe. Pictured outside the school on Jossey Lane are Nicola Tyas, Gabrielle Allen, Helen Ward, Nellie-Anne Ward-Cannon, Julie Murray, Abigail Murray and Daniel Murray.  Picture: NDFP-13-10-20 RoadSafety 1-NMSY
Parents are appealing for road safety measures outside Castle Hills Primary School in Scawthorpe. Pictured outside the school on Jossey Lane are Nicola Tyas, Gabrielle Allen, Helen Ward, Nellie-Anne Ward-Cannon, Julie Murray, Abigail Murray and Daniel Murray. Picture: NDFP-13-10-20 RoadSafety 1-NMSY

"We also feel that there is a lot of speeding on Jossey Lane, and lots of car accidents. A few weeks ago a car hit a tree along there. We feel it is getting dangerous.

“We’d like speed bumps.

"I’ve got a daughter in year four, and I’m worried about her safety. I think there is a big issue outside schools across Doncaster.”

Elsewhere, residents on Cemetery Road, Hatfield, have complained to police about safety on their street.

They are concerned about cars using it like a ‘race track’.

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Residents tell how last month a BMW left the road, knocked over a tree, and demolished a wall.

George Kitson’s home was affected, when it happened on September 19. He and his wife were returning home but could not access their house because emergency services were dealing with the aftermath.

He said: “The BMW had been driven at excessive speed and had mounted the kerb a few yards away from my next door neighbour's concrete and wooden fence. It proceeded to demolish the fence, sending wood and concrete into our garden.

"The vehicle was travelling so fast it continued on its path of destruction and ploughed through our 50-year-old privet hedge, completely uprooting them. Then it hit a 15ft holly tree and uprooted that.

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"It appears to have lifted off the ground, damaging conifer trees and eventually came to a stop on our drive colliding with a 40 year old yew tree and our boundary wall, causing severe damage to both.”

It damaged a gas main, so the street had to be cordoned off and houses evacuated.

He was told the driver had run off, and feels someone could have been killed.

Neighbour Jacque Barrass added: “It was just luck there was no one walking there at the time.

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“They come off the bridge and fly down the road. Someone could get killed. There are people with young children here."If there are rising numbers of accidents it doesn’t surprise me based on what we see. I think it’s getting worse.”Something needs to be done about the amout of speeding on Cemetery Road. Cars use this piece of road like a racing track.”

Police say they are taking action, and have done work at Cemetery Road among other areas across the borough.

Doncaster East neighbourhood policing team Inspector Alison Carr said: “We know speeding is a concern to our communities and we are committed to creating safer roads in our area.

“We regularly conduct speed watch operations, but we need residents to report areas of concern to their neighbourhood team or via 101. This data helps us shape patrol plans and operations.

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“By identifying problematic areas, we can focus our resources and conduct speeding operations and check sites.

“In addition to our on-going work, officers from our Roads Policing Team conduct pro-active patrols as part of our Operational Illuminate, a dedicated car to focus on the fatal four’; speeding, drivers not wearing their seatbelts, driving while under the influence of drink or drugs and using a mobile phone behind the wheel.

“We will continue to work with partners to target those that pose a risk to our roads.”

Gill Gillies, Doncaster Coucil assistant director of environment, said the council was ‘very concerned’ to hear of the situation at Castle Hill.

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She said: “Over recent years, road safety outside all Doncaster’s schools has been reviewed, and a timed advisory 20mph speed limit has been provided for Castle Hills School. However, road safety is not all about making changes to the road environment, and we would urge all motorists to drive responsibly, appropriately to the conditions and within the law at all times.

“In addition, road safety education for the younger generation is important, as such life skills are transferrable beyond the school gate, and we deliver a range of road safety training initiatives with schools.

“In order to give the greatest benefits to communities across Doncaster, further measures are targeted to the areas with the greatest problems. This situation is regularly reviewed, and particular attention will be given to this location in considering priorities for the future.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.

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