‘This is about avoiding a fatality’ - Fears for child safety as car mounts pavement near Corstorphine Primary School and hits lamp post in third crash in a year

Fears are growing over the safety of children walking to and from school in part of Edinburgh after a car mounted a nearby pavement and struck a lamp post - the third crash on the road within a year.
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The latest collision, involving what appears to be a Mercedes car, happened in Corstorphine High Street today at around 1:20pm.

It is understood the car may have swerved to avoid a pedestrian who stepped into the road before mounting the pavement and crashing into the lamp post on the other side.

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Corstorphine Community council chairperson, Steve Kerr, said it was fortunate the incident did not happen when lots of parents and schoolchildren were walking along the pavement.

He said: “If the school was coming out, the car could have ploughed into some schoolkids.

“Cars here are driving far too fast and there needs to be more measures put in place. The pavements around here are too narrow.

“The situation is completely unacceptable. This is not an isolated incident, it’s the same part of the street and within a month of the last accident and it’s in very close proximity to the school.

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“This is about trying to avoid a fatality. There is a real sense of frustration here and it should not need to be pushed and shoved for something to be done.”

Today's collision happened near the entrance to Corstorphine Primary School. Pic: GoogleToday's collision happened near the entrance to Corstorphine Primary School. Pic: Google
Today's collision happened near the entrance to Corstorphine Primary School. Pic: Google

Previous collisions

In November last year, a dog died and its 76-year-old owner was left with serious head injuries in a rush-hour collision with a van on Corstorphine High Street.

About a month ago, there was another collision on the street involving two vehicles which narrowly missed pedestrian Jon Melville.

And in February 2012 a 54-year-old man, John Carrigan, died after being struck by a car on the same road.

The aftermath of another crash in Corstorphine High Street which happened earlier in lockdown. Pic: Jonathan MelvilleThe aftermath of another crash in Corstorphine High Street which happened earlier in lockdown. Pic: Jonathan Melville
The aftermath of another crash in Corstorphine High Street which happened earlier in lockdown. Pic: Jonathan Melville
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A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed that Corstorphine High Street was closed today following the latest collision and that diversions were put in place.

An ambulance was also called to the scene but details of injuries are not yet known. However, it is believed that the driver of the car was taken to hospital.

A picture from the scene today shows the front of the car resting up against a lamp post which was visibly bent at an angle. Beside this is another pole with a 20mph sign and a warning about the nearby school.

Damage was also done to a stone wall outside some homes and gardens.

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Vikki Brown, who heads up the travel action group at the Corstorphine Primary parent council, says the council have been very receptive to their calls for more safety measures around the school and have installed traffic cylinders in the middle of the road outside.

Safety measures have also been put in at the back of the school through the council’s Spaces for People programme.

But she would like to see further action along Corstorphine High Street, such as widening the pavements and flashing speed limit signs - and consideration given to reducing the road to one lane in some areas to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

The Scottish Ambulance Service has been contacted for more details regarding today’s collision.

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