HEADTEACHERS from Abingdon’s secondary schools have drawn up a £500,000 ‘shopping list’ of road safety improvements after the deaths of two pupils while cycling.

The heads propose a series of measures, including speed reductions, pedestrian crossings, new signs and improved cycle lanes.

In July, Larkmead School pupil Ty-Ree Partridge, 11, died after she collided with a van in Copenhagen Drive as she cycled home.

Nine months earlier, another Larkmead pupil, Sarah Waterhouse, 17, died on her way to lessons in an accident involving a school coach in Colwell Drive.

The call for action has been made by the heads of Larkmead School, the School of St Helen and St Katharine, Abingdon School, John Mason School, Fitzharrys School, Abingdon & Witney College and Our Lady’s Convent.

They are demanding urgent action from Oxfordshire County Council to prevent further deaths and injuries.

Jonathan Dennett, deputy head at Larkmead School, said the recent tragedies had made the need for improvements to the town’s roads vital.

He said: “We just hope the county listens. We’ve worked very hard with parents to come up with a list of changes that have to be made.

“This is one of the key issues in the town, that affects the whole community, and has the backing of everyone.”

Among the proposals are a full interchange on the A34 at Lodge Hill to reduce traffic on the Abingdon ring road, 20mph speed limits in roads near schools and reducing the speed limit on the ring road to 30mph.

They have sent their report, compiled with the help of town councillor Colin Walters, to the county council.

Mr Walters said: “A lot of time money and effort is expended on schemes to ease the flow of motor traffic.

“It seems that foot traffic is the last thing to be considered, with a couple of dropped kerbs and an island refuge leaving users to dice with moving vehicles.

“We should not have to wait for fatalities to illustrate the folly of this approach, before something that should have been included in the initial design is finally put in place.”

Ian Hudspeth, the county council cabinet member for growth and infrastructure, said: “We’re conducting a wider study of road safety for children in Oxfordshire and that very much includes Abingdon.

“Our officers will look intently at what the schools in Abingdon have said.

“We always listen, but people will understand that we can’t deal with requests in isolation.

“There must be a county-wide strategy and county-wide goals.”

abingdon@oxfordmail.co.uk