PARENTS of primary pupils are calling for a traffic ban before a child is “knocked down and killed.”

Residents in Glasgow’s West End want the council to pilot a scheme used in East Lothian which sees roads around schools closed to cars to improve safety. 

They are being backed by cross-party councillors who believe the road closures –which would take place in the morning and when classes finish for the day – could be in place at schools across the city.

Mother-of-two Ruth Downes, 47, chairwoman of the Parent Teacher Association at Hillhead Primary School, said a parent had her elbow knocked by a car wing mirror last week. 

She added: “We have a problem where people are driving down these small streets, parking on double yellow lines or in the resident-only bays, and then doing complicated three-point-turns.
“We have hundreds of children who walk through the Otago Street entrance every day. 

“We’re just waiting for a child to be hit. The Haddington scheme seems like an ideal solution – it just means the roads will have restricted access for a short time twice a day.”

The traffic ban around three schools in Haddington lasts for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon during the school week.

The scheme has proven such a success that councils across the country have copied it.

At Hillhead, residents would like to see Otago Street and Westbank Quadrant sealed off. 

Otago Street resident Chris Innes, 60, said: “We look out onto the street every day and it’s been gradually getting worse.

“Even before a brick was laid at the school there was an agreement in place with the residents that this entrance would not be used by parents to drop kids off in cars. It was agreed they’d use Kelvin Way or park elsewhere.

“But the problem keeps happening because there is a minority of people who persist on driving down these small streets and putting people in danger. 

“It’s just a matter of time before a child or an adult is knocked down and killed.”
Mother-of-two Sandra Huttenbuegel, 44, added: “With the winter months coming in and the bad weather it’s just going to get worse. “We need to take action now.”
Eric Kay, chairman of the Gow Triangle Community, said: “It’s complete chaos and mayhem twice a day – before school starts and when it finishes. 
“We have been asking for a long time for a solution.”

Hillhead Greens councillor Martha Wardrop said: “In Haddington the pilot has worked very well and I’ve been calling on this for two years. “I’ve submitted the Haddington report to the council and they now need to consider it.”
Labour councillor Martin McElroy said: “The difficulty is that in Glasgow we have a limited amount of road space, but car ownership is increasing. 

“We’re not exactly asking the earth here. We’re asking to take the lessons learned through the Haddington project and applying them at Hillhead Primary School to see if it works. Try it for six months and if it benefits then roll it out to the other schools. “Police say it’s a problem at every school.”

A council spokeswoman said: “We work with our colleagues in Land & Environmental Services, parents and school communities to ensure that the areas around schools are safe and accessible and will look at a variety of ways to keep improving this aspect of school life.”