THE mum of a schoolgirl knocked over by a van in Southampton has called for safety measures on the road where it happened.
Samantha Silverthorn, 14, suffered head injuries when she was struck by a white Transit van near The Hinkler pub, in Hinkler Road, Thornhill, on Tuesday at about 3.30pm.
The Oasis Mayfield Academy pupil had been walking home from school.
Mum Lisa Silverthorn, of Solent Avenue, in Thornhill, told the Daily Echo there should be a zebra crossing at the accident spot. She said: “There needs to be something there. It’s opposite a park and you are going to have kids there.”
Children frequently cross over to get to Hinkler Green Park or as a shortcut to school.
Questions were also raised over the location of a mobile bus stop on one of the narrowest parts of the road.
Concerned parent Don Haisman, of Proctor Close, Thornhill, whose 14-year-old child witnessed the accident, said: “It was an accident waiting to happen. It could have happened to any other kid.”
Blue Star buses said locating mobile stops was the city council’s responsibility, but said it would carry out its own risk assessment.
Councillor Matthew Dean, city council Cabinet member for environment and transport, vowed safety concerns would be looked into. He said: “Our thoughts are with Samantha and her family – we hope she has a quick recovery.”
Oasis Mayfield Academy head teacher John Toland said he was keen to know about any safety issues.
Samantha, described as “a positive, pleasant and liked girl”, regained consciousness at the scene after receiving head injuries.
She was moved out of paediatric intensive care Southampton General Hospital yesterday, although she was being kept in for observation.
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