Some local residents are campaigning for the speed limit to be reduced on residential roads in the village after a little boy was seriously hurt after being hit by a car last month.
Leo, 12, was out playing with friends on Wood Gardens and Heywood Road when he was struck by a car.
His mother Emma Arkelaos explained "They were chased by boys with water guns. One child, who ran across Heywood Road, was spotted by the driver.
"Unfortunately Leo was on the opposite side of the road, where he was between two parked cars. The driver had swerved when she saw his friend much further down the road but she didn't see Leo. He was hit with the wheel and wing mirror of the moving vehicle."
Leo was taken to the trauma centre at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. He suffered a broken ankle, fracture to left of his skull and a bleed to the right side of the brain as well as several minor cuts and bruises. Leo spent two days in intensive care and a further three days on the ward.
Leo, a pupil at Wilmslow High School, is currently only able to attend school for half the day as he is still suffering from debilitating headaches, dizziness and is unable to focus and concentrate for long periods.
Emma added "As a keen sportsman he is devastated to miss the entire football and rugby season due to his injuries."
The accident has prompted Emma, along with her friends Sue Pilkington, who lives on Devonshire Drive and has four children between the ages of 14 and 6, and Ali Berry, who lives on Elm Crescent with a 6 year old daughter, to set up petitions to reduce the speed limit across residential areas in the village.
Sue Pilkington explained "We are concerned about the speed cars are travelling down the residential streets in Alderley. Having discussed this with Councillor Browne we are starting a petition to get the speed limit reduced to 20 mph on residential streets.
"There is an online petition and I will be approaching local schools and businesses for their support as well as other residents. There will also be paper copies of the petition available for people to sign if they do not want to sign online."
Sue added "Craig Browne has indicated that if enough support is recieved he will support the request."
The Alderley District Girl Guides have agreed to support the campaign.
Sue continued "We have received overwhelming support from everyone that we have approached so far regarding the campaign to reduce the speed limit from 30-20mph on the residential streets so are hopeful that our target of 500 signatures will be achieved.
"I live on Devonshire Drive and have noticed that the speed that the cars have been travelling has increased recently, also the new medical centre has opened just around the corner and I have seen a few elderly people crossing the road to get to the doctors when cars have been travelling around the corner of Stamford Road and have seen a few near misses.
"Also schools have started back recently and I have had a number of similar comments from other parents that the speed cars are travelling is too fast for the roads."
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Comments
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However, my sympathies go out to Leo and his family and I hope he makes a full recovery.
Whilst I will happily sign the petition, I feel that the main issue on our estate is the parked cars in and around Heywood Rd/Wood Gardens/Elmfield Road/Davey Lane. There are increasing numbers of cars parked on corners making visibility for pedestrians and drivers really difficult. When trying to pull out of our Close at times we cannot see due to the parked cars on the corner and when turning from Wood Gardens into Elmfield Road there are now some very large SUVs parked on the corner making it really dangerous.
This is an issue that needs to be taken seriously. We have never seen anyone patrolling the area or cars being ticketed. It's going to cause even more accidents if something isn't done about it urgently.
So if the principle exists, should it not be easier to put new 20 mph in place?
Perhaps it is not just an odd street here and there, but an acceptance that all/most/many streets should be on a 20 mph limit ?
Might this be a fit subject for consulting the village population?