Crossing would have saved our girl from injury (From Worcester News)

Crossing would have saved our girl from injury

7:10am Monday 27th October 2008

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THE parents of a schoolgirl hit by a car while crossing a main road in Worcester have launched a campaign to make a busy junction safer for pedestrians.

David Lamb and Terri Johnston want pelican crossings installed across Wyld’s Lane and all the way across London Road, near Tesco Express.

They also want to see more signs put up along London Road to make motorists more aware that schools are nearby.

Their daughter McAyla was knocked over further up London Road near the entrance to Heron Lodge as she tried to make her way to Tesco Express from her home in Foxwell Street on Sunday, September 7.

The 11-year-old is suffering with acquired brain injury (ABI) but continues to make remarkable progress in what will be a lengthy recovery.

The nearest crossing that spans the whole width of London Road is uphill from both Red Hill Primary School and Tesco Express.

Mr Lamb said the accident might never have happened if crossings were installed at every junction of the crossroads because she would have used them.

“That intersection is just diabolical,” said the 40-year-old. “You cannot cross there safely. It’s poorly designed, you haven’t a clue where you’re supposed to be, it’s just scary.

“Every day you will see school children stop and then just run because there’s no way of knowing which way the traffic is coming from and when. It’s not how we should be crossing roads.

“There’s a lot of elderly people living around here as well who might want to go to Tesco but can’t because they think they’ll probably get run over.”

Mr Lamb also wants to see bigger, brighter signs put up along London Road warning drivers about hazards in the area.

Worcester MP Mike Foster, who has lived in the London Road area for 15 years, is behind the campaign. He said the crossroads was a “nightmare” which required people to “take their lives into their own hands”.

He also urged highway engineers to look at the possibility of introducing a 20mph speed limit around the area.

Mr Foster urged Worcestershire County Council, which is responsible for highways, to do anything it could to help make that part of London Road safer for pedestrians but added he feared nothing would be done because there had not been enough accidents.

A council spokesman said any requests from residents to make alterations to roads are always looked at.

He said 20mph limits around schools are already being considered and added changes being made to the junction would depend on data the council collates, as well as feedback from residents, schools and businesses in the area.

He said if it was decided changes should be made, the council would look to access Government funding because it costs £30,000 to install a new zebra crossing and £100,000 for a light-operated crossing.

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