£140,000 safety barriers to protect pupils on busy road

SAFETY barriers are to be installed along one of the East Riding's busiest roads to protect hundreds of children on their way to and from school.

The Highways Agency has agreed to fund 140,000 of work on the A63 at Welton, where it runs past South Hunsley School.

The work, which is due to start on February 14, is the result of a successful and long-running campaign to improve pedestrian safety in the area.

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Councillors Julie Abraham and Helen Gilmour, East Riding Council members for South Hunsley, both welcomed the scheme.

Coun Abraham said: "This is absolutely excellent news, something that we have worked hard to get for many years, and something that we thought at times we could not achieve."

East Riding Council is also seeking approval from Sport England to divert a stretch of the footpath onto the school field.

Coun Gilmour said: "We hope that all of the works will be completed in this financial year so that students will have the benefit of the safer route to school in the coming summer months and beyond."

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The highways work, which is expected to last six weeks, was agreed at a meeting between the parties last October.

The path is used by scores of children from villages to the south of the school, which is attended by almost 2,000 pupils, making it the second biggest in the East Riding behind Driffield School.

A spokeswoman for the agency said: "The Highways Agency will carry out work to widen a section of the existing combined cycle path and footway to the east of Cowgate. These works will also create the space necessary for the agency to install safety barriers along the stretch of footway between the existing footbridge at Common Lane and the school boundary, without compromising pedestrian safety.

"Construction is due to start on February 14 and will last approximately six weeks.

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During the works, there will be various lane one closures of the A63 in place overnight, when traffic flows are lower, in order to minimise disruption to drivers. The footway will also be closed at times, with pedestrians being diverted through Welton village.

"The estimated cost of these works is 140,000, funded by the Highways Agency."

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