Crusaders to patrol school intersection

Israel Dagg on the charge for the Crusaders. Photo / Photosport.

The Crusaders have touched down in South Africa and are in training mode for the weekend's Super Rugby final against the Lions.

But when they get home, players are set to take on a new challenge - helping St Albans School pupils cross the road.

Mother Rachel Donaldson is at the helm of a crusade to stop red light runners at the intersection of Cranford and Berwick Sts.

The signs she put up at the intersection, which read "slow down," "St Albans children matter" and "don't be that driver who kills a child" have all been stolen.

But Mrs Donaldson has far from given up on her mission.

She said now she's on the case of the Crusaders, who have agreed to run a patrol at the intersection after school.

"I've been in touch and they've agreed, hopefully, it'll happen sometime this term," Mrs Donaldson said.

Although with their trip to South Africa and final to prepare for, she said it's been a tough ask locking in an exact date.

But something needs to happen because red light runners have plagued the intersection for too long, she said.

That being the case, momentum behind changing the attitude of drivers through that intersection cannot slow down.

"The hope is that people seeing the Crusaders guiding children across the road will help spread the message," Mrs Donaldson said.

Her campaign was sparked when she saw a St Albans Primary School pupil clipped by the wing mirror of a car driving through a red light at the intersection.

"The car brushed right past him," Mrs Donaldson said.

And the intersection has since been the target for a police sting that saw 17 tickets issued to dangerous drivers within an hour.

The Papanui-Innes Community Board is also behind Mrs Donaldson and St Albans School parents.

It has asked city council staff to do a safety audit of the streets around the school, including the Cranford St intersection.

It is also setting up a meeting involving city council staff, board members, police, school staff and parents to come up with permanent solutions to the problem.