Go slow: Speed signs to be installed after year’s campaigning
FINCHAMPSTEAD residents will soon see a response to their road safety concerns, after campaigning for more than a year.
The borough council has confirmed it will install signs that flashwhen cars drive past, to help slow traffic on the A327 Reading Road.
This comes after more than 17 months of campaigning from residents to make the road safer for families who live on the road.
Paul Weeden, who moved from London to Finchampstead three months ago, said he hoped his family would be able to walk or cycle the mile-long route to the nearby Post Office and play park.
Instead, hiswife Cleo nowdrives the route with their two-year-old, feeling too unsafe on the pavement.
“Cars are travelling at such a speed, even when they see our pram they don’t slow down at all,” said Mrs Weeden.
Mr Weeden added: “The pavements are too dangerous to walk along due to the speed of the passing freight vehicles and other reckless drivers.
“I was almost sucked into the road by a lorry on a run one evening in July.”
The couple, who said they are used to walking and cycling being prioritised in London, have now contacted their MP, James Sunderland, calling for safe walking and cycling routes in their community.
MrWeeden said: “We love the area, we’ve got to know our neighbours and we feel incredibly welcomed by the community.
“It’s just surprising to see how slow progress has been.”
The couple have joined other road residents in the call to change the speed limit from40pmh to 30pmh.
Road resident Gareth Rees, who has spoken on behalf of the community at many council meetings, said he is still looking for clear timelines and wants a fresh meeting with the council’s highways team to discuss the petition details.
In November last year, Mr Rees and 35 residents of the road met withMartin Heath, who is the traffic management, parking and road safety teammanager at the borough council.
At the end of August, Mr Heath said he believes the road can be improved and will continue to develop proposals as traffic conditions return to normal.
Pedestrian crossings and street lighting on the A327 are both being considered as part of a review into safe routes to school.
Mr Heath said: “These actions are being carried out despite the fact that the Finchampstead PC Speedwatch advises residents there is not a significant speeding problem on Reading Road and Thames Valley Police have also written to Mr Rees advising that they don’t consider this to be a case that merits enforcement activity.
“At the moment, the route has a generally good road safety record and we have confirmed thatwe will continue to monitor safety as we come out of lockdown, for a n y deterioration in conditions for those living on the route and those using it.”
But Mr Weeden said the lack of accidents is due to people not walking on the pavements.
He said: “While Thames Valley Police may be correct in that the road is not inherently unsafe for pedestrians, this is correlation not causation. Pedestrians don't get injured, because no person walks along the road as they are too scared.”
Mr Heath also said the council has to balance the needs of traffic and residents.
“The role of the A327 in the borough road network means that it is likely to take more traffic and of a type with more strategic objectives (such as lorries) than local residential roads,” he said.
“Therefore the Highway Authority has to balance these wider traffic movement needs with those of residents who have chosen to live on a strategic transport
corridor.”
Mr Weeden said he could not understand why Hampshire County Council and Wokingham Borough Council have set different speed limits for the same road.
“There’s no downside to dropping the speed limit to 30mph in this short section,” he added.
A council spokesperson said: “The speed of traffic on the Wokingham section of the A327 is constrained by the alignment and character of the road, resulting in average speeds of between 40mph and 46mph, which demonstrates a generally good level of compliance with the existing limit.
“In the Hampshire section, perhaps the average speed is lower, that is amatter for the local highway authority there to comment upon.”
They added: “The A327 Reading Road is not a road that could reasonably support traditional traffic calming measures without adverse impacts, like noise and emissions, impacting on the quality of life of its residents.”
And the council spokesperson said the speed signs are effective when used for short periods of time.
They said: “The success of such measures vary from site to site, but it’s common to see a 2mph to 3mph reduction in speed.”