Village’s zebra crossing campaign receives funding boost

The campaign to install a zebra crossing outside Little Downham’s Feoffees Primary school received a crucial boost this week with a commitment to provide £10,000 from Cambridgeshire County Council.

Childminder Emma Turrell enlisted the support of her MP Steve Barclay after the year-long campaign for the £15,000 crossing had stalled.

Mr Barclay, who visited the site and backed campaigners, launched a petition which helped draw a positive response from council officials.

Campaigners submitted a bid to the county council’s local highways improvement fund, which was accepted by officers and will go before cabinet for approval in April.

Mr Barclay said: “It is brilliant news for residents of Little Downham that Emma’s bid for £10,000 funding to support a crossing outside of the primary school has been successful. Great credit is due to Emma who has worked tirelessly to secure this funding.”

The North East Cambridgeshire MP is encouraging local residents of Little Downham to show their support for the next stage of the campaign by signing his petition at www.stevebarcly.net/petition backing the scheme, which will help keep safe youngsters aged between 4 and 11 coming in and out of the school at peak times.

Mr Barclay said: “In order to meet the full cost of the zebra crossing project we need to raise the remaining £5,000. Key to that will be the forthcoming parish council meeting, and I hope the responses to the petition will underline the local commitment to a zebra crossing.

Additional community funding will be discussed at the Little Downham Parish Council meeting on March 13.