HIGH school children are to help experts try to improve one of North Walsham's most dangerous pedestrian blackspots.The North Walsham pupils have been invited to work with county council officers on ideas for the junction of Church Street with Market Place in the town centre.

HIGH school children are to help experts try to improve one of North Walsham's most dangerous pedestrian blackspots.

The North Walsham pupils have been invited to work with county council

officers on ideas for the junction of Church Street with Market Place in the town centre.

The move follows a town-wide survey by school council members highlighting the problems faced by walkers, buggy pushers and wheelchair users trying to

get from their homes to

the shops.

Pupils presented their survey findings - which included four areas classed as “dangerous” - to officers at county hall.

The notorious town-centre junction was top of a list which also included King's Arms Street, where the pavement is either narrow or non-existent; Hall Lane towards Church Street, also narrow with potential danger from reversing traffic; and Bacton Road near the steps to Sainsbury's, where

visibility is bad and there is currently no pedestrian crossing.

Pupils walked seven different routes into town last December, noting problems, and also borrowed a wheelchair to experience the difficulties faced by people with disabilities when trying to shop.

They described pavements at the corner of Church Street and Market Place as too narrow for wheelchairs, buggies or two people abreast. Traffic came from two directions, there was a blindspot and no dropped kerbs.

The children met Mike Jackson, the county's head of planning and transportation, and Steve White, area highways engineer at county headquarters.

They also discussed the challenges posed by laying a pavement along the town's Crow Road with the architect designing the plan.