Honiton's MP Richard Foord calls for safety improvements after Honiton Primary School pupil is nearly knocked down by a car

Yesterday (Wednesday 5 October) a child was almost hit by a speeding car outside Honiton Primary School.

The school, which is located on Clapper Lane, has been concerned about the safety of roads in the vicinity of the school for a while.

Today (Thursday 6 October) Honiton's MP, Richard Foord, visited the school and had a meeting with the Headteacher, Mr Tribble.

The pair discussed the dangers facing children and parents as they travel to school. The area outside Honiton Primary School is frequently extremely busy and it is also used as a shortcut by motorists.

Mr Foord has pledged to help Honiton Primary School pursue safety improvements from the council as well as reduce the number of fast-moving vehicles near schools more generally.

Mr Foord said: "As a dad of three, I know just how much of a worry it can be when your child walks or cycles to school. It's undoubtedly the best thing for them, but the high level of traffic around our schools means many parents and teachers are concerned about safety.

"Today I spoke to the Headteacher at Honiton Primary, who told me that just yesterday there was a near miss near the school - with a child almost being hit by a car that was simply going too fast.

"Our schools should be safe places for our kids to travel to, so it's clear we need a broader review of the situation. Devon Council and Town Planners need to ensure that areas near our schools have additional speed-reducing measures, such as speed bumps and traffic lights.

"We also need to see greater enforcement, cracking down on those who recklessly put the lives of others at risk through excessive speeding in our town centres. Only by taking these steps can we ensure our children are safe as they travel to school."