Schoolboy's campaign to improve road safety in the suburb where he lives

Leo has organised an online petition, calling for a crossing which could be used by pupils attending Kimberworth Community Primary School, but also everyone in the area - including older pupils who need to cross the road to catch a bus to school.

He has set a target of getting 700 names - 100 above the total needed for petitions to qualify for consideration by Rotherham Council.

More than 120 people added their names in the first few days.

Leo, who lives on Kimberworth Road, is currently a pupil at the primary school, though he will be transferring to secondary education in September.

He hopes that his campaign will leave a legacy of improved safety for the wider community.

Leo’s mum, Lisa, said there was a lollipop crossing warden in place at the school, but that Leo believed a crossing would improve overall safety.

“Leo has been talking about it for a while. It would be outside the school on Kimberworth Road, which is quite a busy road,” she said.

There had been occasions where they had witnessed motorists “drive near enough through him”, she said.

Andrew Bramidge, interim strategic director of regeneration and environment, said: “The council takes matters of road safety very seriously.

“Road safety intervention measures are prioritised on their overall benefit to road users, with funding directed towards locations that have the potential to produce the greatest reductions in accident severity and casualty numbers.

“In the case of Kimberworth Community Primary School, the council has previously implemented measures to improve road safety by narrowing the carriageway and the introducing a 20mph speed limit which is operational at pupil arrival and leaving times. Additionally, a school crossing patrol operates at this school and Road Safety Education sessions take place with pupils.

“Where requests for signalised crossings are received, the council has set funding aside to assess site suitability and prioritise new installations on pedestrian usage and traffic flows. These assessments factor in the presence of vulnerable road users, including children, the elderly, and those with disabilities.”

Leo’s petition is at: https://www.change.org/p/construct-a-zebra-crossing-outside-kimberworth-community-primary-school?recruiter=538877516&recruited_by_id=33913e20-1620-11e6-9b5d-2f5805b32d89&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_content=cl_sharecopy_490076569_en-GB%3Acv_1164872