Enchanted Nursery has been fighting an ongoing battle to ensure safe crossing for its children since opening in 2011.

The nursery is situated along Anstey Road with another nursery opposite and Eggar’s School further down – making safe crossing triply important. 

If the addition of another nursery and school weren’t enough, Anstey Road also leads directly into Holybourne where there are two more schools. Meaning school drop off and pick up time with commuters has created a dangerous and chaotic place for crossing the road. 

Laura Smart, who has been the manager at the nursery since 2012 has been trying to get the local council to install a proper crossing for years. 

“In 2012, we were told that a zebra crossing was not a possibility due to being too close to a turn-in and that plans were already in place for a crossing. 

“We raised the possibility of a lollipop lady about a year later and were told that because we weren’t classed as a school we didn’t meet certain criteria,” said Laura.

While a crossing island has been installed, it was too far down the road to help any of the people who are commuting from the industrial estate behind the nursery down Anstey Mill Lane. 

There are eighty-four places at the nursery and nearly nine hundred pupils at Eggar’s School causing a growing concern that an accident is inevitable.

“Cars have been monitored to do 50 mph right outside our nursery and we’ve probably counted about ten different incidents over the ten years,” Laura added.

The council is currently conducting a feasibility survey to see if a crossing is possible but it could take two years and cost between £250,000 to £350,000. 

Laura hopes that with the recent social media outcry and support from parents and the community that a solution will be found soon, before it becomes too late.