Police visit schools to monitor traffic

POLICE have attended The Piggott School in Wargrave to carry out surveillance following traffic “chaos” at pick-up and drop-off times.

Borough councillor Wayne Smith had raised issues of traffic tailbacks with drivers queuing from 2.20pm on the A321 to pick up their children.

He said this has led to safety issues and difficulties for emergency services vehicles trying to pass through.

Officers from Thames Valley Police monitored the area last week.

Cllr Smith has also met with the school’s headteacher, Rebecca Alexander, to discuss the traffic issues affecting children and residents.

He said: “The school gates do not open until 2.45pm but the cars are queuing much earlier than that. It’s creating a massive jam all the way back to the A4 and when I was there in December, we witnessed an ambulance on a blue light not being able to get through because there were so many cars coming from the Henley direction.

“I have met with the headmistress to discuss ways we can mitigate it. The police and highways team say it is a problem.”

Cllr Smith also raised issues over safety of pupils attempting to cross the road during these busy periods.

He said: “There have been a couple of incidents where children on their bikes have had accidents on the footpath so ultimately, we’ve got to try and stop all this traffic.

“As the children filter out, they try to cross the road and the amount of traffic, especially in the dark evenings, it’s worrying.

“There are children everywhere trying to get across the various roads, trying to get to the bus, trying to get to their parents that may be parked on roads off the A4 and I think the headmistress and the police realise it's an issue. We’ve got to try and stop all this traffic.”

Cllr Smith met with the highways department at the borough council last month which raised the concerns to police.

He said: “They were going to have a look at signage but their view was that the highways perform to the way they should perform. We’re going to have to take this up directly with the school.”