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Demand for action: mother-of-two Olivia Williams is calling on TfL to make the crossing safer |
‘Accident waiting to happen’ where schoolchildren cross
Campaigners and headteacher demand action to safeguard pedestrians
A MOTHER-OF-TWO is spearheading a campaign to extend the traffic light sequence on a Marylebone crossing used by schoolchildren which she claims is a death trap.
Olivia Williams, whose children attend St Mary’s primary in Enford Street, has gathered 150 signatures, including the headteacher at the school, to call on Transport for London to take action.
Campaigners say children face the choice between running the gauntlet – dashing from one side of the Marylebone Road to the other at full pace to beat the lights – or waiting at the central traffic island for up two minutes and potentially being late for morning registration.
Parents are also anxious that the long wait at what has recently been found to be the capital’s most polluted stretch of road, could pose a significant health risk to children.
The spot itself, just opposite Marylebone Station, has a history of road accidents. In May a 44-year-old pedestrian died nearby after being hit by a skip lorry just beyond the junction.
Ms Williams, who lives locally, said: “On the walk to school, the centre island becomes crowded. The crowd tries to push to the edge of the road, and many decide to run across on the red light, or take the risk to try to make it in the brief pause between green and red, relying on the generosity and concentration of rush hour drivers to wait for them.
“The wait in the centre is a serious health hazard as the biggest and most polluting vehicles allowed on the road accelerate away in a cloud of exhaust and dust.
“The run to make it in one go involves ignoring red pedestrian lights on both sides, and means you have to push past anyone waiting on the centre island, and risk falling in the road.”
Peter Hadfield, headteacher at St Mary’s said the crossing was an “accident waiting to happen”.
“We have been trying to do something about this for years and have been stonewalled at every attempt.
“This crossing is literally an accident waiting to happen, especially as traffic turning left on a green light from Warewood Avenue into the Marylebone Road eastbound regularly fails to spot the red light on the crossing and accelerates through the crossing which is on green for pedestrians.”
A Transport for London spokesman said: “The pedestrian crossing on Marylebone Road east of Enford Street is a staggered crossing.
“The two separate crossing opportunities operate with a safe crossing time that meets the minimum of 1.2m per second as advised in the latest guidelines.
“The staggered crossing layout helps to balance the needs of all road users on this busy junction. TfL is committed to meeting the mayor’s aspiration to review all traffic signals in London in the next six years and TfL will continue to monitor the safety concerns of the public.”
Residents in Marylebone have been trying to improve safety at the crossing since 2004, when a similar petition fell on deaf ears.
For the petition see: www.ipetitions.com/petition/marylebonecrossing |
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