A PLEA to step up speed and safety measures on a busy Worcester road has been made by City and County Councillor Lynn Denham.
The call comes in the wake of local residents raising the alarm after three serious collisions in the last 18 months and numerous near misses by drivers.
The roads in question, Green Lane and Astwood Road, are in the heart of Coun Denham’s Rainbow Hill ward.
She has been investigating the situation with council officers and measured 487 cases of speeding on Astwood Road alone in just five days.
Following suggestions from residents, Councillor Denham has now raised a formal improvement request to see if new signage could be explored to alert users to a mini roundabout at the junction of the two roads.
“Council officers have acknowledged the lack of road markings to warn motorists of the need to slow down for the mini-roundabout,” said Coun Denham.
“Having been working on securing improvements around Astwood Road and Green Lane for some months, I’m optimistic that we have now got an agreed way forward.”
Any safety measures won’t come soon enough for local residents who, concerned about the risks of speeding traffic, have reported frequent near-misses.
One resident, Matt Reynolds, said: “As a resident of Astwood Road and witnessing three serious collisions in the past 18 months, I am extremely disappointed by the lack of urgency from the Conservative-led county council.
“Maybe it will take a much more serious accident to happen along the road before they have any interest in looking into speed on the road.
“The number of requests put in by our local Labour Councillor and then ignored is dreadful.
“The issue isn’t going away. Traffic levels are too high across the city, and Astwood Road is one of many roads in the city where cars speed with pedestrians and school children walking down either side being potentially victims of another more far serious collision.”
Two local schools use the crossing near the mini roundabout, so campaigners are anxious to get the signage right at this spot for the safety of children and young people, as well as motorists.
Councillor Mike Rouse (Con, Redditch South), Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways and Transport at Worcestershire County Council, said: “We have completed recent speed surveys and will continue to liaise with the Local Member regarding available options for improvement.”
