ePetition details

Woodmill traffic lights - pedestrian safety

We the undersigned petition the council to improve pedestrian safety as part of the imminent peak time traffic light installation works at Woodmill Lane starting on 6th January 2020.

Experience with previous temporary traffic light trials at Woodmill Lane has shown that cars speed up considerably if they don't have to wait for oncoming cars to clear the very narrow single lane part of Woodmill Lane.

Concern has been raised about the effect on pedestrian safety when the peak time traffic light works begin on 6th January 2020. The pavement is VERY narrow (less than 800mm), there is a dangerous blind corner on the pavement and if cars have a green light they will travel much faster than they currently do. Cars frequently mount the path at its narrowest section due to the 'dropped kerb' style pavement and regularly use the pavement as extra road when pedestrians are on it.

This is a very busy pedestrian route, especially at peak times. The pavement is used by hundreds of school children every day, parents with prams, commuters, dog walkers and cyclists. The traffic light installation simply cannot go ahead without improving the safety of pedestrians.

If peak time traffic lights are installed, the pavement at its narrowest point between Oliver Road and the bridge must be widened to allow pedestrians to see around the blind corner, kerbs must be made higher to deter cars from mounting the pavement and there must be a 'dead slow' 10mph speed limit for cars.

This ePetition ran from 16/12/2019 to 03/01/2020 and has now finished.

89 people signed this ePetition.

Council response

As part of early feasibility work for the project, Council’s Highway Delivery Partner has identified that the carriageway is at minimum widths in this section and as such widening the pavement is not feasible.

In relation to the request for making the kerbs higher, it is noted that the area is in a conservation zone and as such it will be difficult to accommodate a kerb without changing the appearance of the area. A new kerb would require relaying the entire footway and may not be possible as the surface underneath the footway and carriageway is shallow. It is noted that there are bollards installed in the location which provides an indication to vehicles not to mount the kerb.

In relation to the speed limit, the current speed limit is 30mph although the geometry of the carriageway results in average observed speeds being within the speed limit. A survey of vehicle speeds carried out in December on the northern side of the Bridge past the bend in the carriageway indicated the 85th%ile speed of 25.1mph northbound and 23mph southbound. Guidance from the Department for Transport does not support the installation of a 10mph speed limit at this location and as such Council will not be installing a 10mph speed limit at this location.