Removing railings would threaten children’s safety

Published: 4 February 2010

• AS concerned local residents and parents of children at Gospel Oak school we strongly oppose plans to remove the guard railings on Savernake Road, Mansfield Road, and Gordon House Road.
The plans aim to “improve” the area around Gospel Oak station. However, removing the railings on these busy roads clearly threatens the safety of children, and of local residents.
The area around the station gets very crowded with the local secondary schools, as well as Gospel Oak children and parents, all sharing a very narrow stretch of pavement.  If the plan goes ahead, there is a clear risk that one of our children may run into the road an end up in a terrible accident. 
It’s been claimed that removing the railings improves safety, but there’s been no evidence shown to us to support this claim. There have been several accidents in this area over the past few years and removing railings by a primary school and nursery is obviously a bad idea!
Only a small number of local residents have been consulted, with many parents not receiving any information about these plans.
We have started a petition to oppose the removal of the railings and hope that you will support us in keeping our children safe on their journey to school. 
ZOE GREENE
Lissenden Gardens NW5 1QN
Cllr NASIM ALI
Maitland Park Road, NW3
LIZ SEAMAN
Southend Close, NW3
GILLIAN CHANDLER
Ragland Street, NW5