Nailsea School speed bumps

CARS speeding around Nailsea School have been brought to a halt by newly-installed sleeping policemen.

The Mizzymead Road school, which already has a 5mph speed limit, introduced the traffic-calming measures during the Christmas break after reports of parents and people using the community facilities exceeding it, some ‘by a considerable amount’.

The school’s operations manager, Chris Perry, who has responsibility for health and safety, recommended the measure.

He said: “The school feels that the installation of these humps will ensure that students, staff and community users that walk across the drive between the car park and facilities, are now safer.

“Signs informing drivers of the humps have been installed at the vehicle entrance and the speed limit has been reinforced.

“White lines defining the humps will also be painted shortly.

“Since the school reopened in January there has already been a significant improvement in driver behaviour and a speed reduction, which the school welcomes.”

He said there had been a big increase in the use of the community facilities following the opening of the new site in 2009 and it is now open almost every day, including Sundays.

The demand for some facilities in particular, the all weather pitch, had ‘exceeded availability’.

He added: “The ever growing community use, coupled with a number of parents picking up and/or dropping off their children, has resulted in a marked increase in traffic movement.

“This volume of traffic increased the risk of potential accidents between vehicles and pedestrians or between vehicles on the site.

“The school is grateful to everyone’s contribution in making Nailsea School a safer environment.”