STRIDES have been taken in a campaign group’s efforts to make the A39 crossing in Stratton safer for road users and pedestrians, particularly school children.

The ‘Stratton School Junction Reconfiguration’ group members — Lisa Wood, Lucy Wilson and Vicky Jones — are fighting for the road layout outside the primary school to be altered and for a safer way of crossing added.

The campaigners met North Cornwall Conservative MP Scott Mann in August at the site location where he saw first-hand the busy and consequently dangerous crossing on the A39 — he agreed action needed to be taken, and promised worried parents he would be doing his utmost to keep momentum of the campaign going and get the answers they deserve.

Campaigner Lucy Wilson said she hopes to see more done than simply making the central island crossing bigger.

She added: “The amount of traffic coming in different directions makes crossing easy to misjudge. It’s a much bigger problem than simply replacing the island.”

Since being made aware of the issues, Mr Mann’s office commissioned a study to look at potential options to improve the pedestrian crossing facilities. It was undertaken by CORMAC solutions and looked at a number of potential options.

Mr Mann’s office have said they have been pro-active in asking CORMAC for updates, with the latest news that the report was being scrutinised by a CORMAC officer.

Mr Mann last month successfully introduced his first legislative Bill in Parliament to give parish and town councils the power to hold community referendums to alter speed limits.

During his speech in the Commons, Mr Mann said he wanted to empower local communities in order to make their roads safer for motorists and pedestrians, particularly children, who face hazardous walks to school due to fast moving, high volume traffic at peak hours.

After the Bill was passed, Mr Mann said: “It’s time to put the power into people’s hands. Local people know the dangers present on their community roads, so why not let them change their own speed limits?

“I’ve come across various communities in North Cornwall which suffer from speeding cars which threaten the safety of local residents. If my constituents want to lower the speed limit on their main road from 30mph to 20mph, then they should have the power to do so.

“In 2012, over 550 people were killed on 30mph roads, whereas there were nine fatalities on 20mph roads, so the numbers speak for themselves.

“I’m thrilled that my Bill was voted through in its first reading, and I have allocated its second reading for February 5th when hopefully it will be debated in more detail by MPs and I can set out the Bill in more detail.”

Mr Mann said last week: “I’ve been to Skitches Corner with school pupils and parents and it was astonishing how dangerous it was to cross the road — even on a ‘quiet day’, there were scores of cars, lorries and tractors. We found ourselves stood on the traffic island while cars and artic lorries passed within a couple of feet of us.

“This is clearly no environment for people, particularly children, to be in.

“I have been stressing the case to CORMAC that the junction needs to be addressed. It is a difficult road to amend, but I would like to see a new road layout which allows cars to leave and join the A39 on both sides with greater ease, traffic calming measures to stop lorries approaching the corner at high speed, and a proper pedestrian crossing which separates children and vehicles, such as a flyover, or a zebra/pedestrian crossing.”

Lucy Wilson, from the Stratton school junction campaign group, said: “We’re delighted that the plight of our children has been addressed in the Houses of Parliament.

“Scott Mann has taken action on our behalf, which is really great news and such a positive step in making this section of the road and junction safer.

“We understand from CORMAC that major junction improvements have been scheduled for 2018/2019 and that, for the interim, a feasibility report has been compiled which is close to submission to Cornwall Council. From there the council will decide on a consultation stage to present the preferred option to the local people.

“We look forward to hearing their proposal, hopefully in the near future as this is a matter which has been put on the back burner for far too long.”

The campaign group has also received the backing of Bude-Stratton Town Council. Town mayor Cllr Lea Deely said: “I welcome the news that this work is in the pipeline but am sorry that it’s so far in the future. Anything that can be done to make this junction safer for pedestrians is welcome.

“This is especially important because of its close proximity to the school, the medical centre and the hospital.”

Cllr Paul Tilzey, once a teacher at Stratton School, said that crossing the road safely at that junction had always been a problem.

“I know the road junction has been a bone of contention for the school in all of its many forms for over 50 years and I know the local parents of the present Stratton Junior/Infants will be delighted if safety is improved there.

“I don’t know what they intend to do but if it is a roundabout, then judging by the Hillhead experience, it could take years.”