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Nine-Year-Old's Call for Road Safety Action

A nine-year-old boy narrowly avoided being hit by a car on his walk to Farley Hill Primary School in Arborfield, sparking fresh concern about road safety nearby.

Theo Pitts wrote to Clive Jones MP after a speeding driver overtook a stationary bus and braked suddenly in front of him on a route used by local children.

Families raised worries about pedestrian safety and this week Mr Jones walked the route from Glover Crescent to the school with Theo, his sister Holly, 6, his father Ian, 41, and Cllr Adrian Betteridge, the council's executive member for active travel and transport.

Theo said: "I think every child going to school should feel safe."

He told the LDRS that he currently didn't feel safe along the whole route: "On that road, not really, but if we fix it, put traffic lights there..."

The 25-minute walk crosses open green spaces and tree-lined paths and was meant to highlight risks to pupils and discuss improvements.

A key danger is the crossing at Sheerlands Road and Rowcroft Road where a bus stop at a new junction can hide children crossing.

Cllr Betteridge said: "We're still having two or three people who are walking or cycling killed per year in the Borough."

Father Ben Farrel, walking with his daughter Efa, 8, and son Ted, 5, called for a lower speed limit: "I would love this road to be 20mph, including Biggs Lane. You can get to that crossing and people are still going at 40mph."

Theo's experience has become a focal point for calls to reduce speeding and make school routes safer.

Headteacher Jane Bateman said: "We do get traffic moving quite quickly.

"I really appreciate Theo writing because it highlights all our ongoing concerns about the flow of traffic on Baston Lane and through the school site."

Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter

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