Calls for zebra crossing after Cheltenham schoolboy hit by car and injured

People are calling for a zebra crossing to be installed after a schoolboy was hit and injured by a car in Cheltenham.

The boy was hit while crossing the road on Tommy Taylors Lane near Pittville Park at around 1.50pm on 27 September.

Now Cheltenham Borough councillor Julian Tooke (LD, Pittville) has started a petition which calls on Shire Hall to install a zebra crossing there.

Cllr Tooke says that people have been asking Gloucestershire County Council for a pedestrian crossing for that stretch of road, often crossed by school children, since 2019.

He asked how many more accidents there need to be before one is installed.

“For years, residents have been asking for a pedestrian crossing across Tommy Taylors Lane near Pittville Park. It’s a busy stretch of road.

“If any good is to come out of this accident, it will be that Gloucestershire County Council, which is responsible for Cheltenham’s roads, finally will install the much-needed pedestrian crossing.

“I would also urge any witnesses to come forward to the police and ask everyone to sign our petition for the zebra crossing.”

Gloucestershire County Council highways chiefs say they take Cllr Tooke’s concerns very seriously and will be in touch with him about ways they can improve pedestrian safety there.

Philip Williams, assistant director of traffic and transport at the County Council, said: “This council is committed to improving road safety and halving collisions which kill and seriously injure people on our roads by 2032.

“We take these concerns very seriously and will be in contact with Cllr Tooke to discuss ways in which we could improve pedestrian safety in this area.”

Anyone who witnessed the incident on September 27 is being asked to provide information to police online and quoting incident 246 of 27 September. 

Credit: Carmelo Garcia, local democracy reporter