Cheltenham neighbours hear 'explosion' noise as van crashes outside school
Summary
People living next to a school where a van crashed and wrecked a pedestrian crossing say the impact sounded like an explosion. The vehicle left the road in Albion Street, Cheltenham, in the early hours of Wednesday (August 5). It completely flattened a post holding up a set of lights at the crossing, which is next to the entrance to Saint John’s C of E Primary School.
Details
The impact left metal railings in a twisted heap and seriously damaged a brick wall on the edge of the school site. A section of the pavement outside the school, which is closed for the summer holidays, has been sealed off and the crossing is out of action. Remarkably, it seems the driver in the single-vehicle collision was not injured.
A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Constabulary said: “Police were called at around 3.45am on Wednesday August 5 following a report that a van had mounted the pavement and collided with some railings and a wall on Albion Street in Cheltenham. “Officers attended the scene and the driver of the van was reported for driving without due care and attention.
No injuries were reported and enquiries are ongoing.” A woman who lives next to the scene of the crash said: “I heard the noise when it happened. It sounded like an explosion. “It was really loud and sounded like maybe it had been caused by a large car or maybe a lorry.” Another resident, who also lives close to the school, said he wasn’t aware of that part of Albion Street being an accident hotspot.
But he said: “I haven’t lived here for very long and the railing outside the school has been down before so perhaps there has been a previous accident there.” He added that it was fortunate that the crash happened when the school was shut. The accident was the third of a similar kind Cheltenham in just over two months.
On June 4 a lorry crashed through the central reservation and ended up hanging off the other side of the Tewkesbury Road. Then a car crashed in Oriel Road on August 1, hitting metal fencing and parked e-scooters. Councillor Mark Harris, cabinet member for highways at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “We are aware of the damaged pedestrian crossing in Albion Street, Cheltenham.
“Our contractors will be attending the site today to remove the damaged signal pole. This will allow us to reopen the footpath and to put a temporary crossing in place until a new permanent signal pole is installed. “We expect the signal controlled pedestrian crossing to be fully repaired and working by the end of next week.”
Report source: Gloucestershire Live