PARENT power has moved a step closer to winning the day in a battle to bring in new safeguards for children crossing a traffic-laden York road.

City of York Council is to analyse whether fresh safety measures should be installed at the junction of Stockton Lane, Hempland Lane and Woodlands Grove in Heworth following a campaign backed by hundreds of people.

They signed a petition calling for the re-introduction of a permanent school crossing point which ushered pupils from nearby Hempland Primary School across the busy route before being moved last September.

While temporary patrols have since been put in place at various times, the council’s city strategy panel has now asked for a feasibility study to be carried out during the spring term to assess whether to provide permanent measures there. Tricia Elliott, of the Friends of Hempland Primary School – which her daughter Katie, ten, and seven-year-old son Thomas attend – helped organise the 248-name petition, and said: “This is excellent news and we look forward to hearing what comes out of this study.

“It shows our views have been listened to, which is what local democracy is about. Permanent safety measures at this junction are very important, especially during rush hours.

“I would suggest that the minimum measure needed would be a permanent school crossing patrol during term-time. We have recently had temporary crossing patrols for as much as two weeks at a time, but there have been gaps between them.”

Heworth Without councillor Nigel Ayre – a strong backer of the safety campaign – said: “I am glad the decision has been taken to look at ways of improving this junction.

“After I first raised this issue last May, we were able to recruit a new crossing patrol, but it became clear a further solution was needed. Since I first used this route to school 20 years ago, traffic has increased significantly and pupils need to find a way of getting across the road safely.

“It is important that the consultation involves parents, teachers and pupils at the school in order to find a solution to this problem which works for them.”

A report to the city strategy panel revealed the results of a recent survey which showed 3,700 vehicles used a stretch of Stockton Lane near the junction in the space of 12 hours.

“Parents have also suggested that, regardless of the school crossing patrol being present or not, a pedestrian crossing would improve road safety and benefit schoolchildren and other local residents,” it read.

“The situation is considered to warrant a more detailed investigation.”

It added that, depending on the study’s outcome, small-scale safety measures could be funded in the forthcoming financial year, but any larger scheme would have to wait until 2010/11.