Parents call for new pedestrian crossing

Sonya Grimley, who lives in Linen Green in Lisburn, walks with her three children to school every day but the treacherous journey involves crossing the busy 50mph North Feeder Road.

Sonya has been lobbying Road Service for a crossing on the road for some time but in light of the recent tragedy at Cloughmills, in which young Adam Gilmour was killed when walking to school with his family, she says it is time her request was taken seriously.

“I have three young children, including a baby, and we have to cross three roads to get to Pond Park School every morning,” explained Sonya.

“We walk to school with another family and often there are nine of us crammed together on a central reservation trying to cross the road.

“The traffic on the North Feeder Road is getting worse and worse.

“After what happened recently at Cloughmills, it is vital a crossing is installed before a life is lost in Lisburn too.”

Roads Service agreed to carry out a survey on the road and a spokesperson said they were currently assessing the outcome of that survey.

A spokesperson for the Department for Regional Development: “Following a request for a controlled crossing on the Derriaghy Road at Linen Green the Department gave a commitment to carry out a survey at the location.

“This has been completed and is currently being assessed.

“Once complete we will advise interested parties of the findings.”

Lagan Valley MLA Paul Givan said it was unacceptable that children’s lives were being put at risk and that Roads Service should install a pedestrian crossing on the North Feeder Road as a matter of urgency.

“The traffic collision on the Prince William Road that recently left a young girl seriously injured and the tragic death of a young boy in Cloughmills near Ballymena has brought into stark focus the very real dangers facing parents and children crossing this busy road going to Pond Park Primary School,” said Mr Givan.

“I successfully campaigned for a pedestrian crossing on the Antrim Road to improve safety for people going to Pond Park Primary school.

And I am clearly of the view that the North Feeder Road is a more dangerous road and requires Roads Service to put in place safety measures, including a pedestrian crossing, to address the concerns that children’s lives are being put at an unacceptable risk.”