THE increased traffic on the the Cardenden-Shawsmill Road is causing safety concerns for a member of Denend Primary School parent council.

David Bogie feels there are a number of factors which are adding up to the School Lane entrance to Denend becoming less and less safe.

He has now contacted local councillors to see if there are any parameters which need to be followed to ensure safety around school entrances.

David told the Times: "As it is, Denend Primary School has no safe entrance/exit, the only one being directly onto a road which is becoming more and more unsafe due to impatient drivers and illegal parking.

"I have already discussed the need for a pavement providing a safe route from the gate to the crossing officer. As it stands, the children exit the school onto the road and unless accompanied by a parent are observed crossing behind reversing cars or being forced to stop due to turning vehicles.

"To add to this issue Stagecoach have moved the departure time of the DE1 service bus from the exit of School Lane, to 3.05pm, meaning children getting this bus are in a hurry and sometimes less aware of the dangers these irresponsible drivers create".

David took the picture featured at the entrance to the school at 2:59pm one day. He added: "This picture shows cars parked within the turning area and one parked inside the entrance to the staff car park. It does not show three more cars parked at the side of the clock tower, hidden from the view from the school gates.

"I've been trying to get someone to do something about this problem for quite a while. This and the fact that the crossing officer on Station Road has to deal with cars parking on double yellow lines and turning into School Lane, makes it a very difficult problem.

"I find it very difficult to believe that in today's age of safety regulations etc, that a school is allowed to exit directly onto a road, which access is not being restricted."

David has written to local councillors asking what the council's policy on school exit onto roadways and asking for the construction of a pavement in School Lane before any serious incidents occur.

Councillor Rosemary Liewald, who worked at Denend for several years, said: "School Lane becomes very busy at times and certainly the Shawsmill Road has got busier and busier.

"I will contact our Transportation Department to get their views on the situation."