Children fight to cut speed limit by school

CHILDREN from Five Ashes Primary School made themselves heard as they presented requests for safer roads to a councillor this week.

The school council wrote a letter in a bid to reduce speed limits to 20mph outside the school at the start and end of the day.

The letter, alongside a similar demand from the school governors, was presented to East Sussex County councillor Chris Dowling on Tuesday morning.

Head teacher Paul Wickens told the Courier: "The school council have written the letter on behalf of the school.

"They are asking for the speed limit to be brought down for the short time period before and after school, when it's at it's busiest.

"I'm very proud of them. That's what we want the school council to do.

"They have a chance to form their own opinions and influence things locally."

The school council, comprised of six children from Reception to Year 6, have been concerned at the speed of cars on the A267, where the school is situated.

Although a 30mph limit is to be imposed in the village next year, the children feel that 20mph is safer and have seen other schools take the same approach.

School governors are also behind the idea and the chairman Penny Kemp is delighted with the children's efforts.

"I think it's excellent. It's a small, village primary school and the children are making the most of an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns," she said.

"The children are very concerned that the speed of the traffic is just too fast."

Mr Dowling, of the Framfield and Horam ward, is looking forward to discussing the possibilities with the school.

He said: "Let's just roll our sleeves up. I'm happy to support it and we will see where we go with it.

"It's very early stages but it's a worthy objective.

"There's a speed limit issue there at present and new limits will come in at the start of next year, so we will deal with this afterwards."