PARENTS are backing speed bumps outside a school – but some residents are petitioning against them.

Bournemouth Council is consulting on a 20mph zone with speed bumps and road narrowing around The Epiphany School in Muscliff.

Mum-of-three Chrissie Beatty, 33, said: “I was amazed to go to the consultation meeting and find there were four to five residents putting together a petition against it.

“They tried to get me to sign and said it was unnecessary and an overreaction.

“One person said ‘a child has never been knocked over before’.”

The Epiphany School has a lollipop lady outside the main entrance at school times.

Chrissie said: “The whole road is dangerous and it’s not just as school times.”

Pupil Daisy Rainbow, six, wrote a message to the council in favour of the plan.

She said: “A child might be hit and need to go to hospital because the cars go really fast.”

Her mum Karen, 34, said: “We desperately need it because the cars just come flying down.”

A 46-year-old parent and company director, who declined to give his name, said: “I went to pick my daughter up from an after school club and a motorcyclist shot down at about 70mph.”

Muscliff Cllr Anne Rey backed the plan and said people use the road to avoid Castle Lane.

She said: “Some of the residents against it perhaps do not have children at the school.”

The Echo knocked at a dozen residents homes nearby but everyone backed the plan.

Rowan Yates, 31, an electronic technician, said: “I am very much in favour.

“I saw a blue car have to break really hard because they were speeding and they nearly hit the lollipop lady.”

Charlotte Pinson, 30, a beauty therapist said: “It if something that is a safety issue for the kids, it’s fine.”

Beverley Channon, 43, a care assistant, said: “It’s a good idea because the cars come round there like there’s no tomorrow.”

Where the new zone will cover

The new 20mph zone will stretch from the Granby Road junction on Muscliff Lane to the Thorncombe Close junction on Shillingstone Drive.

There will be six pairs of speed bumps, and three road narrowing sections with a single speed bump at each.  

Bournemouth Council held the consultation meeting at the school on September 13. Representations can be made until October 5. 

There is already a 20mph zone and speed bumps at the eastern end of Shillingstone Drive, around Muscliff Primary.