Parents in road safety plea at Chesterfield school

More than 200 people have signed a petition urging Derbyshire County Council to take action at Hady Primary School, off Hady Lane.

Victoria Clark, of Honeysuckle Road, Hasland, has launched the petition on the council’s website.

Mrs Clark, who works in admissions at Chesterfield Royal Infirmary and also in the school’s after-school club, said: “We would like a car park and safe footpath put in.”

The school is accessed by a long driveway which parents are asked not to use – leading to the school’s 300-plus pupils being dropped off on the main road and then having to walk down the driveway.

In the petition, Mrs Clark, who has two children at the school, Lily, aged nine, and seven-year-old Lucas, said: “There is a parking problem on Hady Lane which is causing residents and parents concern with their children's safety. There have been several incidents where children's lives have been put in danger by cars driving too fast past the school.

”The safety of the children is paramount and we would like to propose a new parking area made adjacent to the school, with a new access path down to the school to ensure all the children's safety at all times.”

Susan Chapman, headteacher, said: “As I am sure it is for every school in the county, it is an issue, of which I am very much aware. We’re trying to work with parents. We ask them to park further away and walk.

“It’s just trying to find a solution.”

A county council spokeswoman said the authority could not comment on the petition’s contents while it remained open for signatures – it is not due to close until March 20.