West Suffolk MP Nick Timothy has called for action to fix a dangerous junction and tackle delays in school bus arrivals after he was given a tour of Mildenhall College Academy by staff and school prefects during a recent visit.
During the visit, Year 10 Citizenship students quizzed Mr Timothy on topics as varied as the need for better roads in Mildenhall to how to protect mental health among young people.
Delays at the end of the day in the arrival of school buses, which transport students as part of a shared service, was also a concern.
And the junction of Queensway and Sheldrick Way, which leads to the Mildenhall Hub where the College is located, was identified as a problem as buses are not able to enter the junction in one turn, creating a safety hazard especially when the Hub is busy during school pickup time.
Mr Timothy was questioned by Year 13 Politics students about his views on the best way to tackle violence against women and girls.
And he met seven of the school’s prefects, who asked him about the Government’s new Schools Bill and the Conservatives’ plans for education funding.
After the tour, Mr Timothy said: “Visiting schools here in West Suffolk is one of my favourite ways to spend my time and this was no exception. It was delightful to meet the pupils and to answer their questions. It was also great to see the school’s very modern facilities.”
Mr Timothy added: “The discussion made clear that it is time to fix the Mildenhall Hub junction at Sheldrick Way. It is too narrow for such a busy facility. This concern has also been expressed to me by many local residents while I have been out knocking on doors.
“It is why I wrote to Suffolk County Council last year asking them to look at it, and also why I urged West Suffolk District Council to make sure improvement is required as part of the planning application for building 1,000 or so new houses nearby.
“I hope the local authorities will take the required action to fix it, and that the school’s concerns about delays in school bus arrivals at the end of the day can be addressed.”
“A huge thank you to the staff and pupils at Mildenhall College Academy for their very warm welcome.”
