School crossing approved after three-year campaign

A three-year campaign to have a crossing installed outside a Surrey junior school has been successful.

Surrey County Council (SCC) has given the go-ahead for the project outside St Lawrence School in East Molesey, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It means Church Road will be shut for the next month, after work began on Tuesday.

Campaigners had cited several near misses involving children, although some locals objected saying the crossing was being installed on a crossroads with poor visibility.

Others objected on the grounds of a loss of on-street parking.

Jim Davidson, a parent and school governor, has been petitioning for safer roads and crossings around the school.

He said: “This has been my life for three and a half years. It’s a legacy for the children for the future and the people of Molesley.”

However, a final public consultation involving residents living in the immediate area saw 125 out of 192 respondents rejecting the proposal, while 65 supported it.

Removing street parking had been continually raised as a reason to object to the scheme, according to a SCC report.

Some respondents said the zebra crossing was not necessary as road safety improvements had been sufficient.

A 20mph speed limit was implemented on various nearby roads in September 2023.

The crossing is also hoped to make walking and cycling to school more attractive and decrease the use of cars in the area.

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