MP Richard Foord calls for urgent action on the closed Coleridge Bridge, vital for schoolchildren, as delays continue due to environmental regulations.
He pointed out that five kids are hurt or killed on UK roads every day. In the southwest, 442 children were injured near schools last year. The Coleridge Bridge is crucial for students, but it’s been closed for over a year after a tree fell on it.
Foord explained that repairs are delayed due to regulations that prioritize salmon spawning over fixing the bridge. He’s written to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs but got an unsatisfactory response.
He wants an exception to these rules to protect children. Local residents are frustrated, with one asking if authorities are waiting for an accident to act. Foord noted that the local council is ready to start repairs but can’t until next summer.
In response, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Lilian Greenwood, acknowledged the importance of road safety for children. She emphasized that local councils are responsible for enforcing road laws and can implement safety measures.
Greenwood also mentioned the government’s focus on encouraging walking and cycling to school. Education is key, as child pedestrian casualties double between ages nine and eleven. The THINK! Safe Adventures campaign aims to teach safe road behaviors to kids and parents.
She highlighted the need for parental responsibility during school drop-off and pick-up times, as dangerous behaviors can occur. The THINK! initiative addresses common risks for child pedestrian casualties, like not looking and rushing.
