Primary School Children Risk Life and Limb at Crash Site
A Sutton Conservative Councillor has been left astonished by what can only be described as a crash site on the doorstep of a primary school in Devonshire Avenue, South Sutton. Councillor Tony Shields could scarcely believe his eyes when he saw a totalled vehicle blocking the pavement near Devonshire Primary School. But he could not believe his ears when the Liberal Democrat-run Council told him it was not a problem, and that the car would only be moved if it stayed stationary for TWO WEEKS.
Sutton South Councillor Tony Shields took his son to the school in Devonshire Avenue at 8.50am on Friday and noted that a crashed vehicle had knocked an entire concrete lamppost over. He reported it to the Highways Department by mobile phone immediately. The car had crashed through a residential hedge leaving the pavement entirely blocked, with the left-hand side passenger door severely dented and only two wheels seemingly touching the ground. Councillor Shields passed the site at 14.30 on the way home from work to see the vehicle still in situ. He called again the Highways Department at 14.50. The response left him flabbergasted.
He was told that the vehicle had been inspected and that if it was still there in two weeks it would be removed. When Councillor Shields asked that the vehicle be removed immediately he was met with this response: “how would you feel if your motor was towed away suddenly?” Now Tony Shields is demanding answers from the Lib Dem Executive councillor responsible, Colin Hall.
Commenting Tony Shields said: “I thought it was outrageous enough that this crashed car was left for an entire working day – let alone two weeks! Primary school pupils had to walk around this wreck into the road, risking life and limb, in order to get to and from school.
“I demand this answer from Councillor Hall: how can this kind of base incompetence exist in a department under his watch? It is a fundamental duty of this Council. Failure to deliver is totally unacceptable.”
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Contact: Cllr. Tony Shields, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Opposition, on 07951 056660
Sutton Cheam & Worcester Park Conservatives
Sutton, Cheam & Worcester Park Conservatives
