Is there an accident waiting to happen?
Local parents are calling for new traffic calming measures to be introduced on Churchfield Road, following a number of incidents of cars and lorries speeding towards the level crossing as the barriers drop, endangering pedestrians who are often en route to Maples Nursery.
The existing road humps on the west side of the crossing have minimal effect as they are not full width and are easily avoided by larger cars and trucks. On the east side, where there are no speed humps at all, very few cars stick to the 30mph limit.
Parents are also concerned that the new pedestrian crossing will pose a danger to pedestrians as drivers are so intent on getting across the railway that they do not look for pedestrians on the crossing. They believe that a push button crossing with lights would improve the situation.
One local parent, Kyria-Josephine Sewell, was shocked when she saw "two cars from opposite directions both bombing towards the railway crossing as the lights were flashing. Both swerved to avoid the descending barriers and narrowly missed hitting each other at top speed in the middle of the crossing. One driver was holding a mobile phone during all of this, the other had three children bouncing around in the back!"
Kyria-Josephine is asking people who have seen similar incidents or have concerns to write to Cllr Kate Crawford to urge Ealing Council to act.
24th January 2005
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