By Anna Whittaker, Local Democracy Reporter
A zebra crossing will be installed on a busy Nottinghamshire road after a five-year-old girl started a campaign for it.
Minnie Willis-Crowther started a petition for the crossing after speaking to her dad about the road in Mapperley.
Digby Avenue in Gedling is close to three schools, a complex for the over-55s, a community multi-use games area and a park.
But many people say they find it difficult to cross the road at peak times to get to the schools or the playing field – a problem which Paul Willis-Crowther, Minnie’s dad, says has been ongoing for around 10 years.
The Willis-Crowther family, who live on Digby Avenue, launched a petition in August 2021 calling on Nottinghamshire County Council to install a zebra crossing.
Mr Willis-Crowther told the Local Democracy Reporting Service around 1800 cars drive along the road daily.
He said: “The schools don’t often use the game area because they struggle to cross over
“When they do have to go across, they have to line everybody up and the teacher goes into the middle of the road to get everybody across.
“We’ve got a college for people with Special Educational Needs nearby and they have to walk around the block to get to the other side of the road.
“My daughter asked me why we couldn’t have a crossing on the road.
“We started a petition and Minnie said we could ask Tom Randall (Gedling Conservative MP) about it. He said this could be the start of her political career!”
Mr Willis-Crowther said within a month, they had 850 signatures.
He added: “Minnie went up and down the road getting signatures and we set up an online petition in her name.
“We worked together to make sure this happened before anybody got knocked over.
“It was really nice to see they’re going to do something.
“This is about a five-year-old coming up with an idea for the benefit of the community.
“Hopefully, this will encourage people to walk to school and more use of the games area too.”
The family contacted Gedling’s Conservative MP, Tom Randall, who wrote to residents on the road and the three schools to inform them of the petition and then supported the collection of signatures.
The petition was submitted to Nottinghamshire County Council in November 2021, which then triggered a traffic review.
The Conservative-led Council published its response this month confirming that “a zebra crossing at this location is added to the 2022/23 integrated transport programme for delivery”.
The plans are subject to consultation, design and value for money considerations.
After making the decision, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, Conservative Councillor Neil Clarke, said: “This is yet another example of Nottinghamshire County Council listening to the priorities of our residents and taking steps to protect the safety of school children and other pedestrians.”
Tom Randall MP told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “There was a strong response on the doorstep to the idea of a crossing. Many residents were concerned at the busy traffic, particularly at peak times.
“Minnie came up with the idea of having a crossing.
“I knocked on all the doors on Digby Avenue and went to the school playground to get signatures for the petition.
“There is demonstrable local support it will make it easier to cross that road safely.
“Minnie is a bright kid she had an idea and hats off to her for coming up with it.
“I am pleased the County Council has acted upon this and I hope that this crossing will help all local residents, from children going to school to walkers off to Digby Park.”
