Project Overview

Throston Primary School in Hartlepool is accessed via two roads - Torbay Grove and Anglesey Grove. The main pedestrian route out of the school leads directly onto Torbay Grove, which separates the school from a large housing estate. There are currently no pedestrian crossings and no traffic calming measures on Torbay Grove or Anglesey Grove.

The Challenge

  • Throston Primary School in Hartlepool is accessed via two roads - Torbay Grove and Anglesey Grove
  • The main pedestrian route out of the school leads directly onto Torbay Grove, which separates the school from a large housing estate
  • There are currently no pedestrian crossings and no traffic calming measures on Torbay Grove or Anglesey Grove
Torbay Grove before raised tables

The challenge: school access roads lacking safe pedestrian crossings

Project Objectives

  1. Improve the safety of Torbay Grove and Anglesey Grove through the installation of traffic calming products
  2. Ensure pupils coming out of the main gate on to Torbay Grove are able to cross the road safely
  3. Avoid disruption by installing traffic calming products which do not require the road to be closed
  4. Install surface-mounted traffic calming products which are low maintenance, impact resistant, and can be quickly and easily relocated to allow for road maintenance

Our Solution

  1. Create a new pedestrian crossing at the main exit by dropping the kerb, adding tactile paving, and installing one of our kerb-to-kerb eight-piece raised tables
  2. Install additional raised tables with tapered end humps at regular intervals along Torbay Grove and Anglesey Grove
  3. Our raised tables consist of large, durable rubber sections which maximise stability and impact resistance, while reducing future maintenance requirements
  4. Each raised table can be installed in less than a day, requiring only a single lane to be closed at any one time, allowing continued traffic flow
Raised Table installation on Torbay Grove

Raised Tables on Torbay Grove

"Cars driving to and from Throston Primary School were failing to obey the 20mph limit on Torbay Grove and Anglesey Grove, and both roads lacked suitable crossing points and traffic calming measures. With limited budget we approached Rosehill Highways, and were able to install seven of their rubber raised tables for less than the cost one traditional asphalt table, with no need to dig up the road. This has led to a reduction in speed on both roads, with significant cost savings for the council."
— Jacob Liddle, Hartlepool Borough Council

Results & Impact

  • Residents report that number of speeding vehicles has dropped significantly
  • Pupils feel safer when crossing Torbay Grove using the new pedestrian crossing
  • Hartlepool Council can remove and reinstate the raised tables as required in order to perform road maintenance
  • Proven traffic calming measures installed quickly within a tight budget
Completed raised table crossing

Raised table crossing on Torbay Grove