Call to fix Sheffield junction after girl, 12, hit by car

A dad whose daughter suffered a broken leg after she was hit by a car has called for changes to the junction where the accident happened.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Jun 2016, 18:06 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 18:45 BST
The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils.The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils.
The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils.

Martin Jacobs’s daughter Grace, 12, was walking home from High Storrs School in December.

She and several friends were crossing Hangingwater Road from a footpath that emerges opposite a sharp T-junction with Whitely Wood Road.

The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils. Martin Jacobs's daughter, 12, was hit by a car and suffered a broken leg and wrist while crossing the road.The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils. Martin Jacobs's daughter, 12, was hit by a car and suffered a broken leg and wrist while crossing the road.
The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils. Martin Jacobs's daughter, 12, was hit by a car and suffered a broken leg and wrist while crossing the road.
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She saw a car slowing down and, thinking it was stopping to let her go, crossed the road. But she was clipped by the car’s wing mirror, spinning around and breaking her leg and wrist.

After weeks of tough recovery Grace is back at school, but is too scared to use the same route home.

Her dad Martin puts all of the blame for the accident on the design of the junction itself.

He has urged Sheffield Council to change the junction and make it safer for the many children who cross there every day. But he has been told there is no money and it is not a priority because there has not been a fatal accident.

The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils.The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils.
The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils.
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“We don’t want to wait for it to be left to that before we do something,” he said.

“We’re talking about introducing a 20mph zone on this hill. But the crash happened at less than 20mph.

“It needs something, because you can’t cross the road safely.”

A petition calling for improvements already has 1,600 signatures, and Martin hopes to get to 5,000 to force a discussion at the council.

The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils. Martin Jacobs's daughter, 12, was hit by a car and suffered a broken leg and wrist while crossing the road.The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils. Martin Jacobs's daughter, 12, was hit by a car and suffered a broken leg and wrist while crossing the road.
The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils. Martin Jacobs's daughter, 12, was hit by a car and suffered a broken leg and wrist while crossing the road.
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Part of the problem is the design of the road in relation to the footpath, which Martin says is the only safe route from High Storrs School during the winter months, when the path through Endcliffe Park is dark.

The footpath emerges opposite the junction to Whitely Wood Road, which itself joins Hangingwater Road at an acute angle.

A raised verge on one side and trees on the other makes it difficult for both pedestrians and drivers to see what is coming along Hangingwater Road, meaning cars and people have to edge into the road to check whether it is safe to cross.

On Grace’s accident, Martin said: “She was standing on the edge of the road trying to look down to see traffic. She saw a car coming up, so stepped back.

The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils.The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils.
The crossing point in Hangingwater Road, Sheffield, which comes out opposite a junction and a blind corner. It is the route home for many High Storrs School pupils.
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“He slowed down so she thought he was going to stop, so went forward. It was his wing mirror that hit her.

“We believe it hit her wrist and span her, which broke her leg.”

Martin said he had offered to raise the money to pay for a crossing further along the road, but the council had turned him down.

To sign the petition calling for a safe crossing in Hangingwater Road, visit 38degrees.org.uk.

Related topics:SheffieldSheffield CouncilEndcliffe Park