New traffic light crossing for busy road outside Barnstaple school
The new signal-controlled puffin crossing will be placed outside Our Lady’s School in Barnstaple
A new signal-controlled crossing is to be placed outside a Barnstaple primary school to improve safety for children, families and residents.
The ‘puffin’ crossing with traffic lights has been approved for Sowden Lane East outside Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School, in the same location as the existing informal crossing point.
It was approved by the North Devon Highways and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC) of Devon County Council on October 16 and the scheme also includes improvements to the nearby crossing on Bear Street.
A puffin crossing has the standard buttons to push and wait and intelligent traffic light sensors which detect when someone is on the crossing, giving them enough time to cross.
As part of the scheme, another uncontrolled crossing point on Bear Street will be moved further west, where visibility and crossing conditions will be better. The footway will be redirected to the new crossing and the section no longer needed will be returned to grass.
The county council said it would continue to work with the school, residents, Barnstaple Town Council and other stakeholders as the plans develop.
Before work starts, a detailed design of the new crossing will be completed, a road safety audit carried out and the required legal processes followed.
Councillor Caroline Leaver, HATOC committee chair and local member for Barnstaple South, said: “These improvements will provide a safer and more visible crossing for pupils, families and the wider community. Supporting people to walk safely on local journeys is an important part of making our roads more accessible.”
Councillor Syed Jusef, the local member for Barnstaple North, added: “This is welcome news for the school and the wider community. The new crossing will make a real difference by providing a safer and more accessible route for everyone.”
The scheme is part of Devon County Council’s Countywide Crossing Programme. It is funded through the Local Transport Plan Consolidated Funding Settlement, which prioritises better crossings near schools, services and well-used walking routes.