A petition has been launched calling for a traffic lighted crossing across a ‘hazardous’ road in Earley.
The petition, started by Jason Collins-Webb has asked Wokingham Borough Council to install a signalled crossing in Wokingham Road near its junctions with Station Road and Kenton Road.
Currently, there are traffic crossing islands to the west and east of Station Road for people to cross.
Mr Collins-Webb has stated that the crossing forms part of a key west-east walking and cycling route for people travelling to and from Earley train station and those who use the station footbridge to get over to Woodley.
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In his petition, Mr Collins-Webb wrote: “The Wokingham Road has become increasingly busy particularly at peak times, and as the speed limit at the stretch in question is 40mph, it makes crossing the road, which is wide due to the central filter lane for traffic turning into Kenton Road from the westerly Reading direction, especially hazardous.
“Given that large numbers of people use Earley Station at peak times, and that children walking to and from school at Maiden Erlegh or Bulmershe use the footbridge over the railway, it is a wonder and pure luck that nobody has been injured or killed at this location from being hit by traffic.
“It is especially hard and treacherous for the elderly and physically disabled to cross this road when busy.
“It is difficult to understand why a pedestrian crossing has not been installed to date here, particularly given that there are pelican crossings located elsewhere on the road at far less busy locations.
“The very presence of the station should make the requirement of a crossing obvious and essential.”
Mr Collins-Webb argued the existing crossings do not offer pedestrians enough protection.
He wrote: “While there are central refuge islands at the moment, these do not offer sufficient protection as they do not force traffic to slow down, and many times pedestrians have been witnessed ‘running the gauntlet’ to get from the pavement to the refuges quickly enough to avoid being hit. It cannot be a sustainable solution to leave this situation to continue.”
You can sign the petition on the Wokingham Borough Council website.
The deadline for signatures for the petition is Friday, October 21.
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Although the petition has already received 25 signatures, above the minimum of 10 needed for a ward specific issue, residents are still welcome to sign it.
Councillor Pauline Jorgensen the Conservative leader of the opposition on Wokingham Borough Council and representative for said: “I absolutely think its still worth signing.
“I think having a crossing there would be a good idea.
“I go across there myself and it is quite tricky.”
Cllr Jorgensen used to serve as the executive member for transport, a position now held by cllr Paul Fishwick (Liberal Democrats, Winnersh).
Once a petition is accepted the changes proposed will be considered by the council.
Earley station falls within the Maiden Erlegh ward of the borough.
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