Campaigners step up fight for crossing

PARENTS and school pupils were out in force in Ely this week to show their support for a campaign to install a zebra crossing on a busy Ely road.

Dozens of worried mums and dads joined campaign organiser Anna Rogers and Zak the Zebra on Monday to fight for safety improvements on Downham Road, where hundreds of pupils cross to get to school every day.

There have been a number of near misses at the road’s two unofficial crossing points in recent years, with drivers and residents unclear on whom, if anyone, has priority.

In February, Anna’s four-year-old daughter Lana, narrowly avoided injury when she was hit by a car while crossing to get to school.

Following the incident, Anna began a campaign to have a crossing installed and has since gathered more than 1,000 signatures, which will be handed in to the county council, which is responsible for the road, later this month.

Anna said: “As a community we are fighting for the safety of our children. With so many schools in the area, I find it outrageous that we are being forced to risk our lives and our children’s lives trying to cross the road.

“Local families have a right to walk in their own neighbourhood without their lives being endangered. My daughter has already been knocked down on this road, and we were lucky not to have suffered serious injury or worse. How many more people will be mown down before someone takes this issue seriously?”