Kentish Express Ashford & District
‘It’s a miracle children were not killed... action is required’
A children’s play area has been badly damaged in a car crash, sparking calls for the site to be moved.
The single-vehicle accident saw a vehicle plough through a hedge and wooden fence before landing directly on play equipment in Newtown Road.
The crash happened in dry weather at about 11am on Sunday, October 3, but mercifully no children or adults were in the park at the time.
Cllr Steve Campkin (Green) says it was a miracle no one was hurt in the accident, and thinks it is clear the play area – which is on the Samuel Peto Way development – is not protected enough.
“Having visited the area, it is obvious the area has inadequate protection in the form of a wooden fence and a hedge,” he said.
“These only serve to obscure a play area which I didn’t even know was there until last Monday morning, and is dangerously close to the road anyway.
“As residents have said, it is a miracle there were no children there at the time of the accident.”
The Willesborough councillor, who also represents Ashford East at Kent County Council level, says the park “never should have got past the planning stage” and is calling for it to be moved.
Police were called to the site, which is operated by Town & Country Housing, on the morning of the accident to assist with the recovery of the vehicle.
Cllr Campkin added: “What I am expecting from Town & Country Housing is the relocation of the play area, more substantial fencing along that stretch of the road, and a full public apology to the residents of the estate.
“This reinforces local councillors’ previous calls for speed cameras along that stretch of road, but now adds a requirement for ‘slow’ signs both on the road surface itself and as signs approaching that bend from both directions.
“As is clear to see, the car itself landed on top of play equipment.
“Crashes like these illustrate the need to abandon the ‘crash data’ approach to fixing problems on roads, which requires accidents to happen before any action is taken.”
Town & Country Housing was approached for a comment.