Walking to highlight dangers

Written by Colleen Marples and published in Matlock Mercury on Thu 23rd Nov 2006

Danger Walk - Lyn Holyoake centre and members of the Save Stoney School protest group make the difficult walk along the A623 from Curbar to Stoney Middleton

ANGRY parents and staff from Stoney Middleton School challenged Derbyshire County Council to walk the walk as well as talk the talk this week.

The school is threatened with closure next year and objections have come in thick and fast from residents of the village.

Parents and staff are especially concerned over children's safety as the nearest alternative school is Curbar school, a two mile walk along the A623.

The AA rates the A623 the fifth most dangerous road in the country.

Lyn Holyoake, a governor at Stoney Middleton school, led walks to and from Curbar School this week to highlight exactly how unsuitable the route is for young children.

She said: "We want people to see exactly what our children will be expected to walk along twice a day.

"This is a very very dangerous road heavily used by traffic including big lorries. The pavements are small and children will have to cross the road several times.

"The council has said it will provide a bus if the road is proven to be dangerous but then they would not be saving much money by closing the school if they then have to provide transport.

"Why not just keep it open.

"If it is shut it will not only devastate the children's education and scatter them far and wide, it will destroy the village as it is the focal point for everyone."

Lyn was accompanied on her walk on Monday by Phil Moncur, Director of Education for Derby Diocese and on Tuesday by Councillor Nigel Allwood from Derbyshire County Council and District Councillor David Fearn .

Councillor Allwood said "That was a cold, dirty, disgusting and noisy walk and certainly not suitable for young children twice a day. Walking this route twice per day for 6 years to get a child to and from school was not a good idea".

An informal consultation period ends on November 27 after which a meeting will be held at County Hall in Matlock on December 12 to discuss the results of the consultation.

For more information on the ongoing protest and campaigns visit www.friendsofstoneymiddletonschool.org.uk

Story by Colleen Marples

To comment email colleen.marples@matlockmercury.co.uk

22 November 2006