Teachers, parents, ward councillors and a residents’ association are celebrating after road safety measures were finally installed on Nash Road.
Kent Highways has put road markings, signs and posts along the stretch following appeals to ensure the safety of St Gregory’s nursery and reception children who are using the staff entrance on Nash Road as part of the school’s Covid-19 social distancing measures.
St Gregory’s head teacher Diane Rougvie-Fevrier said: “We have had to change our entry points to school due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The entrance to this side of the school is on a very busy road and we, like our neighbours, had great concerns for our children’s safety.
“With the support and dedication of Cllr Farrance and the Salmestone Ward Residents Association we are so happy to see the measures that have been put in place to alert drivers to the school entrance and help to keep our school community safe.”
Cllr Farrance added: “Cllr Candy Gregory and I are delighted to see that the safety measures for the children of St Gregory’s School have finally been installed.
“Together with the Salmestone Ward Residents Association committee, we are all so relieved that the traffic dangers to our children and families are now minimised. The road markings, signs and posts in Nash Road are now warning drivers about the school entrance, and have prevented the dangerous parking on the grass verge.
“I first approached KCC in July to ask that these safety measures be installed. It took over 40 emails and a great deal of enquiries and liaison work, but we got there in the end.”
Chair of Salmestone Ward Residents’ Association, Cameron Dougherty, said it was a ‘small triumph.’
He said: “This shows that, with the persistence of our Councillors Farrance and Gregory, our Salmestone community has been listened to and our residents are safer. We are celebrating a small triumph in these difficult times, and hope that this can be a message to everyone that you should never give up!”
