A WOKINGHAM resident too scared to walk out of her front door is calling for road safety improvements.
Jean Jones, who lives along Wiltshire Road, said speeding cars and anti-social drivers are making it dangerous for people to cross.
She has been campaigning for pedestrian crossings and speed calming measures at the junction of Wiltshire Road and Rectory Road for nearly 20 years.
“It’s treated as a race track from 9am until late, it’s like living on Brands Hatch,” Mrs Jones said.
“You are taking your life into your own hands by crossing the road and many residents are afraid.
“It is near to a large site of retirement homes and I have seen older people wait a very long time to be able to cross here.
“Something needs to be done.”
Last year, with the help of Cllr Rachel Burgess, Labour councillor for Norreys, a petition was presented to Wokingham Borough Council calling for change.
Cllr Burgess is still passionate about the campaign.
“Residents are fed up with speeding traffic outside their homes and want pedestrian crossings and speed calming measures at the junction of Wiltshire Road and Rectory Road,” she said.
“There are lots of elderly residents in this area who are very distressed and inconvenienced by the speeding traffic and the difficulty for pedestrians in crossing the two roads here.
“Some residents even say they are afraid to walk outside their own front doors sometimes, such is the speed and noise of the traffic at this junction.”
Cllr Burgess also runs regular Community Speedwatch sessions with local volunteers.
“At a recent session on Rectory Road we detected numerous speeding drivers, one driving over 50mph on this 30mph road,” she said.
In November last year, Cllr Burgess presented a petition to the council requesting changes.
The council has now agreed to a set of traffic surveys at the site.
Cllr Paul Fishwick, executive member for active travel, transport and highways, said: “We have had a request for a pedestrian crossing at the junction of Wiltshire Road and Rectory Road and are investigating traffic flows and speeds, footfall and other issues.
“When we know the details, we will be able to decide if a crossing should be put in.”
Wokingham Borough Council have said they are committed to tackling issues of speeding and anti-social behaviour across the borough and are working on a number of
Cllr Ian Shenton, executive member for environment, sport and leisure, said: “We are determined to protect residents from anti-social behaviour and our consultation on a Car Cruising Public Spaces Protection Order has just finished, so we will be considering whether to bring in an order to ban such things as aggressive acceleration or braking or racing, carrying out manoeuvres such as skidding, handbrake turns, drifting, excessive engine revving, especially in locations such as car parks.
“We are considering extending this so it is not just about cars but all motorised vehicles.”
Cllr Burgess welcomes the council’s efforts but will continue to highlight the problem until it is resolved.
She said: “I will keep pushing the council on this issue as residents deserve safe walking routes in our town – as it should never be an ordeal to walk outside your own home.
“Mrs Jones and I have been actively campaigning together on this issue for over a year and I would like to thank Mrs Jones for the work she has put in over many more years to try and achieve change.”
