New, safer school crossing to be built after months of campaigning by parents and residents

Families in south Portslade have been campaigning for Brighton and Hove City to build a crossing point near St Peter’s Primary School in St Peter’s Road.

Campaigners said the school is near major routes and parents and children often have to deal with large trucks and lorries on the school run.

The installation of a new crossing has now been placed among the city council’s priorities for 2014/15 after a meeting of the environment, transport and sustainability committee last week.

The decision means a crossing patrol will be introduced in the section of Church Road between St Michael’s Road and St Peter’s Road, subject to appropriate Health and Safety requirements.

Parent and campaigner Rae Powers, who has two children aged three and five at the school, said: “It is great news that everyone has finally come to an agreement and I’m so pleased that the parents and children who dodge heavy traffic twice a day will soon have a safe place to cross.

“Determination, working together with ward councillors and a loud, united community have shown change can happen.”

More than 800 people signed the petition led by the South Portslade Safe Roads Campaign calling on the council to get the crossing installed.

Councillor Alan Robins, who represents South Portslade, said: “I’m glad the council has seen sense before there’s a major injury.

“The school is expanding from an infant to a primary school including junior pupils, so it was imperative that the crossing is installed sooner rather than later.”

The interim crossing guard will be in place until the new permanent crossing is built.

Peter Kyle, Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Hove and Portslade, said: “This decision is a real success for parent power. Look what we can achieve when we all work together.”