‘Too many being hurt on county road crossings’
STAFFORDSHIRE’S most dangerous pedestrian crossings have been named.
Analysts from Reach Plc, the Burton Mail’s parent company, have looked in to which crossings have seen the most accidents and most people injured.
The newest data available, up to 2019, shows that from all accidents on crossings in Staffordshire, 15 people were injured. That is down from 19 the previous year and the lowest number since at least 2005.
We have listed some of the most dangerous crossings in the last five years across the county. They include Burton.
Guild Street, in Burton, near junction with Horninglow Street – the pedestrian crossing at a traffic signal junction – five accidents (all slight);
A5190, Cannock, near Mcdonald’s – non-junction light-controlled crossing – three accidents (one serious and two slight);
Church Street, Lichfield, near Aldi – at a traffic signal junction – three accidents (all slight);
Springhill Road, Burntwood, near junction with Bridge Cross Road – pedestrian crossing at a traffic signal - three (all slight);
Watling St, Wilnecote, Tamworth, near junction with Glascote Lane – non-junction light-controlled crossing - three (all slight);
Crossings that have seen the most people injured in the past five years:
Fazeley Road, Tamworth – nonjunction light-controlled crossing – three injured;
Ounsdale Road, Wombourne, outside the leisure centre – pedestrian crossing at a traffic signal – two injured;
Burntwood Island, Burntwood Green, Burntwood – pedestrian crossing at a traffic signal – two injured;
Broad St, Leek, near Premier Garage – non-junction light-controlled crossing – two people injured;
Total accidents near crossings may be much higher, as incidents where no-one has been injured as a result of a collision are not generally reported.
The Department for Transport, which publishes the data, also says a considerable proportion of non-fatal injury accidents are not reported to the police. Across Britain, 3,651 pedestrians were injured using a pedestrian crossing.
That was the highest in a single year since records began in 2005, up from 3,603 in 2018. Of these, 48 were killed, 967 seriously injured, and 2,636 slightly injured.
Xavier Brice, chief executive at walking and cycling charity Sustrans, said: “We need to change the way we move around our towns and cities. Too many pedestrians are still injured on or near pedestrian crossings.
“As we exit lockdown, the needs and safety of all road users, but especially pedestrians and other vulnerable road users must be addressed, particularly as people are walking more often.
“The majority of pedestrian and cycling injuries occur in built-up areas as a result of collisions with motor vehicles, with higher speed limits increasing the chance of incidents and the severity.
“We want to see the Government implement a 20mph default limit on residential streets and ban sight-limiting pavement parking.”