We received and email recently detailing some serious concerns about people’s driving in the Draytons. The main concern was about drivers going too fast along Drayton Grove right next to Drayton Green Primary School. In one witnessed incident a young boy on his bike was forced to duck behind a parked car to avoid a speeding driver:
‘I don’t want to sound dramatic, but just a few minutes ago at 8.55am I watched a parent drive down the Grove from the school (a purple Ford Fiesta) at a speed that if I had to guess exceeded 30mph, forcing a boy on a bicycle (helmetless) to duck behind a car. Leaving aside the Highway Code, what staggers me is the poor actions demonstrated. As she passed the boy, not one but two black cars waiting to drive down the street didn’t even consider the child, literally pushed past and accelerated down towards the school.
Even after this the child abandoned trying to cycle down the street altogether – a light blue Fiat 500 made no attempt at reducing its speed or even allowing him to pass, so he was forced to duck behind my car, and then cycle down the pavement.
This is discouraging. This was a lone child on a bicycle.
As I type I have seen several other cars arriving at a minute to 9 or shortly after 9, all driving much too quickly.’
There do not appear to be school warning signs in the surrounding streets and any speede limits indicated in contrast with others schools in the area which are now in 20mph zones.
The Council has asked officers to respond to these concerns. Nevertheless, given that Crossrail is likely to make the roads in the Draytone even busier, it seems that now is a good time for a review of traffic in this area.