Accident prompts "twenty's plenty" plea outside dale school

AN advisory 20mph speed limit is to be imposed outside Ramshaw Primary School after an accident involving a child.

Funding for the speed restriction is to come from the neighbourhood budgets of county councillors Heather Smith and Stephen Hugill.

The need for the new restriction was highlighted during a Teesdale Action Partnership meeting on Wednesday, September 20, by the community development project officer Maggie Wilson.

She said: “It is on the back of a kiddie being injured, not seriously, and a mum having to jump out of the way of a vehicle.”

She explained that £9,900 would be spent on installing new lights which can be tailored to include all periods of activity around the area, including out of school activities.

She added: “The purpose of the project is to reduce traffic speeds around the vicinity of the school, during drop off and pick up times, which will improve road safety for vulnerable road users as well as making walking and cycling to school more attractive.”

Part of the cash will be used to promote road safety, health and speed awareness campaigns.

Ramshaw Primary School was recently excluded from a list of 33 schools identified by Durham County Council for funding for 20mph speed restrictions.

However, Ms Wilson said the two councillors had thrown their support behind the project because of the recent incidents at the school.

She added: “I like this project because it is not a lot of investment, but it will be there for years to come.”