SCHOOL pupils have collected more than 600 signatures in a petition for changes to their cycle route into lessons.

The students at Cherwell School in North Oxford want a major cycle route beside Marston Ferry Road to be divided into two separate lanes.

They have handed a petition to David Nimmo Smith, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport, to lobby for the change.

Cherwell head of school Chris Price said the school had carried out a survey of traffic on Marston Ferry Road and found its usage extended beyond just school pupils.

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He said: “As far as we know we are the most heavily cycled to school in the country.

“We have about 1,300 students riding in. That in itself is really good, but we are concerned about the cycle lane linking Marston and Summertown, which does not have any markings on it.

“Because of that there is a tendency for users to not follow the normal rules that you might do on the roads.

“But we see cycle safety as a big issue for our school and have been doing assemblies, posters and training with our students.

“If we could also get these lane markings then it would make it just that little bit safer for everyone.”

Mr Price said the county council had been “really positive” so far towards the school’s proposals.

He said: “I think they have listened to us – the impression I got was that they are keen to look at this issue as well.”

The proposal has been backed by local ward county councillor John Howson, a member of the council’s education scrutiny committee.

He said: “Creating two definite lanes along the cycle track will encourage cycling by making the route safer.”

The petition by the school was accompanied by a survey that was carried out by pupils, with results finding that the route is used by a growing number of cyclists.

The school carried outs its survey in Marston Ferry Road on October 23, between 2.40pm and 4.15pm.

It found that in the peak period after school – between 3.10pm and 3.45pm – about 370 cyclists used the cycle path alongside the road.

When the count was widened to 2.40pm to 4.15pm, that rose to 427.

The call comes after the school revealed earlier this year that so many of its pupils are cycling to school that it is teaching them to ride in pelaton groups.

The Oxford Mail tried to contact Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for transport, Cllr David Nimmo Smith for a comment on the petition, but at the time of going to press he was unable to respond.

 

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