Norwich schoolgirl Daisy raises concerns about road safety

Chloe Smith MP walking to school with Daisy Hailey, who wrote to Chloe about the dangers of traffic on her daily walk.Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2016)

The Magdalen Gates Primary School pupil was so concerned about her and her fellow pupils' safety when they walk to school that she wrote to Norwich North MP Chloe Smith to highlight the issues - including cars parked on the pavements and cyclists riding on the path - and asked her to join her one morning.

In her letter she wrote: 'I walk to school everyday and I have some problems. Bikes keep running me over as they ride on the path. There is always cars parked on the path. Sometimes I have to walk on the roads.

'It is very dangerous. It is worse on bin days.'

To her delight Ms Smith took her up on her offer and walked with Daisy from her home in Magpie Road to her Bull Close Road school today.

Chloe Smith MP walks to school with Daisy Hailey, who wrote to Chloe about the dangers of traffic on her daily walk. Pictured at the school talking to headteacher Cara Fahy.Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2016)

Daisy originally wrote her letter because she and her classmates were asked to write to somebody of their choice for homework, and Ms Smith said Daisy had done a really great job of highlighting important issues.

Talking at the school gates just after their walk together, Ms Smith said: 'Daisy wrote me a really beautiful letter, really well written and really well put that there are some dangers on her walk to school...Daisy asked if I would walk with her, which I have just done, and she's shown me how there are some problems with parked cars, there's some problems with speeding cars, problems with bikes as well.'

She added: 'These issues are the responsibility of the city council, parking and also some of the traffic enforcement issues, so I'll have a good chat with the local councillors and I want to make sure that Daisy, who wrote such a good letter, is also in touch with her local councillors so that she can take her homework a step further and see what can be done.'

Daisy's mum, June Gage, said she was really proud of her daughter for writing to Ms Smith, and Magdalen Gates Primary School headteacher Cara Fahy also praised Daisy.

'I think it's great. It shows that actually children have got the chance to voice their opinion,' she said, adding that all the Magdalen Gates Primary pupils were also a key part of the school's campaign to make Bull Close Road a 20mph zone.

'The fact that it's gone down to 20mph is a massive, massive plus for us because most of our children walk to school,' she said.

Alan Waters, leader of Norwich City Council, said the authority would consider the issues raised by Daisy. He said: 'This is the first we've been made aware of this particular issue so we now wait with interest to hear back directly from Chloe Smith about what she's discovered then we will happily consider the issues raised.'