Work to begin on school crossing after five-year child safety campaign
Work is starting a new puffin pedestrian crossing in Old Buckenham to improve safety for school children. Picture: Getty - Credit: Getty
Work is set to begin on a pedestrian crossing after a five year campaign to improve the safety of children crossing on their way to the village school.
Mid-Norfolk MP George Freeman and officials at the site where a new pedestrian crossing is being built in Old Buckenham. Picture: George Freeman - Credit: George Freeman
Construction of the new puffin crossing in Old Buckenham is due to start on July 29 and is expected to take five weeks ready for the start of the new school academic year in September.
The crossing, with on demand traffic lights, is designed to make it safer for school children and pedestrians to cross the B1077, a busy road through the village used by traffic travelling between Attleborough and Diss.
Many village youngsters have to get over the road on their way to Old Buckenham Primary and High School but currently there is no dedicated crossing.
The B1077 will be closed for periods for work to build a new pedestrian crossing in Old Buckenham. Picture: Old Buckenham Blog - Credit: Old Buckenham Blog
Norfolk County Council has given the go-ahead to the £128,340 project following a long-running campaign involving Old Buckenham Parish Council and local councillors that won widespread support including that of Mid-Norfolk MP George Freeman.
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Mr Freeman said: "This is fantastic news. Crossing the busy B1077 has been an increasingly dangerous challenge for pedestrians, and most importantly schoolchildren, for far too long.
"That's why I am delighted that the joint efforts of the parish council, local councillors, Norfolk County Council and myself have brought this new crossing to fruition - and will provide a massive boost to road safety in the village."
The new pedestrian crossing in Old Buckenham will allow school children to cross the B1077 more safely. Picture: Adrian Cable - Credit: Adrian Cable
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Parish council chairman Jonathon Hicks said: "We had been asking for five or six years for a pedestrian crossing to be put into the village. Where we wanted it originally was close to The Gamekeeper pub, but as you come into the village from the Attleborough end it is on a bend so it was deemed too dangerous to put it there.
"It is now going to be further along towards the Abbey Road and The Green.
"Under the plan they are supposed to be installing footpaths leading up to the crossing so hopefully that will encourage people to use it."
The project also includes drainage improvements and street lighting next to the crossing. It will see the B1077 closed for two limited periods; currently expected to take place from July 29-31 and August 19-21, with temporary traffic lights for the remainder of the work.
