Funding to ensure children will have a safer route to their school gates has been hailed as "great news".

Norfolk County Council recently secured £3m from Active Travel England to improve 10 cycling and walking routes, one of which is for Back Lane in Hethersett.

Hethersett Woodside Primary and Nursery School, in nearby Coachmaker Way, has been taking steps to keep its school gates clear from chaotic parking.  

Norwich Evening News: Norfolk County Council have secured the funding to build the new crossing Norfolk County Council have secured the funding to build the new crossing (Image: Norfolk County Council)

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It is hoped that the new crossing, near the youth club, will help encourage more families to leave cars at home and walk to school.  

A spokeswoman for Hethersett Woodside Primary and Nursery said: “It is great news that this has been agreed.  

“The crossing will mean all families, as well as children who walk to school without grown-ups have a safe route to travel to and from school.” 

Norwich Evening News: The crossing will make getting to school safer for pupils at both schools and young people attending the youth club The crossing will make getting to school safer for pupils at both schools and young people attending the youth club (Image: Google Maps)

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The new crossing will also help Hethersett Academy pupils gain access to their sports field, which until now would have been unsafe due to the lack of a crossing.  

The spokeswoman continued: “We would like to get things moving as soon as possible, hoping that this work could take place within the summer holidays, – fingers crossed.” 

The county council has said work on all of the schemes that have secured funding will be completed by March 2025.

Norwich Evening News: Sarah Lawrence, chairman of Hethersett Parish Council Sarah Lawrence, chairman of Hethersett Parish Council (Image: Sarah Lawrence)

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Hethersett Parish Council chairman, Sarah Lawrence, said: “The parish council, in association with Hethersett Woodside Primary School and Hethersett Academy, have been keen for a crossing to be built there for some time to ensure families have a safe way to walk to school, and for young people to safely get to the Hethersett Jubilee Youth Club.

“Back Lane is now one of the busiest roads in Hethersett, and with the size of the village increasing, this is obviously going to get busier.  

“The safety of our children is paramount, so this crossing will be a welcome asset to the Back Lane area.”