THE family of a teenager who suffered terrible injuries when he was hit on a zebra crossing in West Swindon have welcomed measures to improve safety on the road – but would still like the speed limit dropped.

Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet will discuss a report on making roads outside schools safer – and added to the report are specific suggestions for Hay Lane, near Lydiard Park.

Dylan Grother, then 14, suffered near fatal injuries when he was hit by a Ford C-Max while crossing the road in 2016. His mum Clarisse launched a campaign to get the limit lowered to 20mph, a speed hump across the road near the crossing and better signs.

Councillors are recommended to approve those measures, including replacing the ordinary Belisha beacons with LED ultra-bright lights – but the reduction of the speed limit to 20mph would only be advisory.

Clarisse said: “It’s good that something’s being done. It’s taken such a long time that it has felt like we’ve been banging our head against a wall, and I’m surprised it’s taken since the council meeting in September to get this far. But I hope by the time children go back to school in September the crossing will be safer.

“But It’s a shame the report seems to dismiss lowering the speed limit properly. That’s very important. The police said if my son had been hit by a car at 20mph he wouldn’t have broken his back – he wouldn’t have spent so long in hospital and missed so much school.

“So I’m pleased but still want the speed limit lowered.”

Dylan was hit by a car while using to crossing to catch a bus to Royal Wootton Bassett Academy.

He suffered a broken back, a broken foot and ankle and broken nose. It kept him off school for three months and he needed physiotherapy for years. It also cut short a promising rugby career and killed his dream of joining the RAF as a pilot.

Dylan and his family presented a petition signed by more than 800 people to the council last year asking for specific actions to prevent more such crashes, and it was added to the report after a full council meeting in September.

West Swindon Parish Council has allocated £1,000 of its budget to school road safety, and the report says this money could be used at the Hay Lane crossing.

The cabinet meeting starts at 6pm on Wednesday.

A link for members of the public to log-in to watch will be available at swindon.gov.uk