A MOTHER from Callington has launched a campaign for better awareness and safety on a ‘dangerous’ stretch of road in the town after her son was knocked down by a vehicle close to his school.

Stephanie Molyneux, from Callington, met with elected members of Cornwall Council, town councillors and staff at Callington Community College earlier this week to discuss what could be done regarding road safety for students leaving the college and walking along a narrow pavement on Launceston Road.

The section of pavement by the road, which is also narrow and is reportedly difficult for two cars to pass, is where Mrs Molyneux’s son Jonathon, 15, was hit by a supermarket van on September 15 when he was coming home from school.

When the school day ends students are seen walking in large groups out of the college and generally heading down Launceston Road. But as the pavement narrows, some students are forced onto the road by the sheer volume of youngsters. Jonathon left the pavement to cross the road further down the hill in order to walk freely, but even though he checked both sides of the road, he did not notice the van in his blind spot.

Mrs Molyneux said that Jonathon was ‘very lucky to be alive’ as the speed of traffic at that time was a lot slower and it could have ‘very easily been a fatality’.

‘I believe there are long standing issues on Launceston Road. My son made an error of judgement but he escaped with minor injuries, but it could have so easily been a fatal accident.’

Mrs Molyneux has been campaigning heavily since the incident for significant changes to occur to the highway around the school.

‘I am campaigning for something to be done about this situation as not only is it needed but I will not be able to forgive myself if something happens to another child. We dodged a bullet but the next family might not be so lucky.’

Some suggestions by Mrs Molyneux to help solve the issue are to close off the pedestrian access at the bottom of the library car park, instruct students to leave via the main gate onto Coronation Road to have the effect of dispersing the flow of large numbers of pupils and stagger the large numbers of students at home time.

Mrs Molyneux also attended Callington Town Council’s meeting on Tuesday (November 28) where she spoke in the public session.

Portreeve Mark Smith supported Mrs Molyneux’s concerns: ‘We are fully aware of that road — for drivers travelling down that road at 3pm it’s a real eyeopener.

‘I went to school at Callington and that road has not changed. When it’s 3pm there is a mass of children on what is a single track pavement.

‘We [at the town council] are limited by what we can do but we can be the voice of the community and help start the ball rolling [on the campaign] to keep people safe.’

Councillors decided to set up a meeting with a highways manager from Cornwall Council and concerned parents to discuss concerns and try to find a solution.

It was reported before the meeting of the town council that the college was also in the process of liaising with Cornwall Council regarding highway and pedestrian safety in the vicinity of the college.