A COUNCILLOR has insisted a Renfrewshire road can no longer be part of a safe walking route for schoolkids after a car smashed into a lamppost.

Councillor Will Mylet said he has asked council bosses for the third time in the last 12 months to reassess Hawkhead Road, in Paisley, after the concerning incident.

Council chiefs have insisted the route has recently been reviewed and is suitable for youngsters to use.

A lamppost was hit with such force between Monday night and Tuesday morning last week, it was almost pulled from the tarmac completely.

And councillor Mylet, who represents Paisley East and Central, said he is becoming increasingly concerned for youngsters’ safety.

He said: “This is the third time in the space of a year I have brought up this safe walking route to the council.

“I just do not think Hawkhead Road is a safe walking route at all. It currently forms part of the secondary and primary routes.

“If that had been a child which had been hit I’m convinced they would have died because it was so forceful.

“This is a 30mph road and I have seen people do 70 on it. It is a serious concern and I have asked the relevant directors at the council to reassess this route. Pupils are entitled to free transport if they cannot walk to school safely.”

Primary pupils who live more than a mile away from a school via the shortest safe walking route are entitled to free transport.

The same applies to secondary pupils who live more than two miles away via a safe walking route.

The road is used by students travelling to Paisley Grammar School and sometimes by pupils attending Todholm, St John Ogilvie and Williamsburgh primaries.

A council spokesman said: “Road users should obey the speed limit at all times to ensure the safety of themselves, other motorists, cyclists and pedestrians and we have highlighted this incident to colleagues at Police Scotland.

“The safe walking route to school along the pavement and footpath at Hawkhead Road was reviewed recently and is considered suitable, while there are school crossing patrollers and flashing ‘speed signs’ in the vicinity of local schools.

“We continually monitor our roads network to ensure it is safe for road users and pedestrians and new traffic light-controlled crossings and traffic islands at Hawkhead Road are part of ongoing developments to improve the facilities for pedestrians and discourage speeding.”

Police officers have said while they have no record of a car hitting the lamppost, they will be going out to do speed checks in the area and monitor traffic at school pick-up and drop-off times.

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