Crossing hope near schools dashed by council error

A school said it was delighted to find out it was getting a new road crossing nearby, only to discover the council documents were wrong.

Concerns were raised by parents about safety on Maple Grove in March, Cambridgeshire, outside Westwood Primary School and Maple Grove Pre-School.

Cambridgeshire County Council documents said a crossing would "be delivered as part of the road resurfacing programme outside Westwood School", but the authority later confirmed its agenda "contained errors".

Lauren Read, principal of the primary school, said: "We were delighted last week when we heard the news that we were getting a crossing, so this week it feels like the rug has been pulled from under our feet."

Read added: "It's really disappointing that the crossing has not been agreed yet and that it's still just a possibility of one of many options that they are considering."

The full council meeting document had said the crossing was scheduled for January or February 2027 as part of the resurfacing programme.

A council spokesperson has confirmed the authority would "assess options" for the road, including a "pedestrian crossing alongside other safety improvements" in March 2027.

"Subject to approval, the crossing would then need to be formally designed and legally consulted on before it could be delivered," they added.

Read said the primary school has about 700 students.

She said the county council had provided a crossing patrol person for the road, which she described as being "very busy" in the last few weeks.

She added: "That has helped but obviously we're still concerned that there isn't a marked crossing on the road that would actually support our families to be safe."

Karen Mayer has children at both the primary school and pre-school.

"I worry every day when I cross this road," she said.

"A couple of times I have crossed, and cars have stopped and before I have even got to the other side of the road they are driving really fast."

In response to the council's error, she said: "It is a real shame and a disappointment for all of us.

"It would be great if we did have a proper crossing, and for the kids as well as they cross sometimes on their own as well."

James Thompson, who has a child at the primary school, called the error "ridiculous".

"We thought we were finally going to get a permanent fixture which would make the road safer," he added.

"It would have made a big difference.

"The number of children, age of the children, and the general rushing of morning drop off it actually needs to be taken care of before it gets the point there are actual injuries."

Plans for a crossing are expected to be heard at the authority's Highways and Transport Committee meeting in March.

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