Concerns over pupils’ station shortcut

Councillors discussed the ongoing issue of Henry Fanshawe School pupils using the Railway Station platform and the bridge as a school walking route.

Before the wooden ramp was condemned, this formed part of the designated school route for children accessing the school from the heart of Dronfield. The route was then re-designated along Chesterfield Road, over the zebra-crossing, up Lea Road, and over the railway bridge. Children however, have tended to use the shortcut through the station.

A replacement ramp cannot be constructed until the future of the lines electrification is clear; this will involve major work to reconstruct the entire bridge.

A recent site visit by Town Councillors Marie Ireland, Phillip Wright and Mark Foster to collect evidence found that more than 280 children used the unofficial route on one afternoon. Many children were found to walk in the hatched danger area while trains passed through the station.

After discussion at the July Town Council meeting, councillors agreed to send the evidence collected. including photographs and the pupil count, to Network Rail requesting that barriers be installed to separate children from the hatched danger area.

Coun Phillip Wright commented "While it is not a designated route, children continue to use this shortcut. Many children venture into the yellow hatched areas as trains pass through here at 90mph. Each year, 13 fatalities occur at the Platform Train Interface on the mainline railway network. Network Rail must install barriers on this route to make the station safe."