Child safety must be the council’s priority

CALLS for the council to put children’s safety first in the wake of the Annalise Holt tragedy are being backed by a Greenfield campaigner.

Mike Rooke, secretary of the Greenfield and Grasscroft Residents’ Association, added his voice to protesters calling for traffic lights at the Milnrow Road crossing in Shaw. Twelve-year-old Annalise was fatally hit by a van and her 11-year-old friend seriously injured.

Mike said the council needs to prioritise its spending.

His call followed an angry demonstration by parents last week over action over missing road markings outside St Mary’s primary school. Parents face more months of driving over deteriorating road surfaces. .

“It’s time that the council realised that spending money on protecting the safety and lives of children is more important than spending money on prestigious projects such as statues on Union Street,” said Mr Rooke.

“New road surfaces all over the borough, not just in Greenfield, have proved to be inadequate and will have to be relaid. Last week we had to demand action because the road markings hadn’t been put back and that was a huge safety issue for our children and parents.

“I commend the council on sending contractors to repaint the markings last week but the fact the road has to be resurfaced again is just ludicrous.”

Councillor Dave Hibbert said re-laying the surfaces and markings has been necessary after an unexpected drop in temperature ruined newly-laid surfaces. The cost of the extra work - including traffic diversions and labour costs - will be met by suppliers.