Mortimer Mums Gain Backing from local Councillors

6.50.34pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 5th Oct 2005

"Treat this issue with urgency", that is the call from local Councillors Keith Lock and Sandra Harding (Lib Dem, Mortimer) after parents protested calling on West Berkshire Council to make walking to school easier in the village. The protesting parents gained TV coverage for their march on Monday 3rd October.

Cllr Keith Lock said:

"Sandra Harding and I as local Councillors support the action taken by Mortimer Children and Parents to protest at the delay in providing a continuous footpath on the south side of The Street, Mortimer to St. Mary's School. We understand their frustration and believe that it is taking too long to overcome the legal problems involving protection of trees and hedges and to acquire the necessary land. We welcome news that the speed limits are also to be reviewed in the Spring."

Cllr Sandra Harding added:

"The Council does need to overcome a few problems before action will be taken. We are urging the Councils' Highways and Legal Departments to adopt a more urgent attitude to joining up the path. There are also alternative solutions which are known and may be possible to implement quite quickly so we will continue to press the Council to get on with the job."