Published: Tuesday, 2nd February, 2010 9:00am

Parents demand crossing 'before a child dies'

by Annabel Williams

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TWO mums who cross a busy main road to take their children to school are demanding a pedestrian crossing.

Laura Harmsworth and Gill Caveen have collected more than 300 signatures from fellow parents in the two weeks their petition has been open.

They want Reading Borough Council (RBC) to put a crossing along the stretch of road known as Buckingham Drive then Peppard Road as it travels towards Emmer Green.

The road is used by pupils of all ages and their parents walking to Highdown secondary, Emmer Green and The Hill primary schools on either side.

Mrs Harmsworth, who takes daughter Rosie, five, to The Hill with sisters Hannah, three, and Jemima, two, contacted The Chronicle and said: "We thought of doing something about this last year, but it fizzled out and then Gill's little boy was almost run over a couple of weeks ago, so that was a real wake up call.

"Peppard Road/Buckingham Drive is a very busy, fast, road. The only crossing is up at Emmer Green Precinct but that's too far away to use for the walk to school."

She added: "New school catchments have been introduced for the 2010 school intake, which could result in more cars using this stretch of road as parents will choose to drive because it is too far for them to walk.

"We don't want to wait for an accident to happen before action is taken!"

The mums have also put their petition online, see www.gopetition.co.uk/online/33519.html

They plan to hand it in to an RBC committee meeting. RBC did not respond to a request for comment.

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