Community Petition – Downham Road, Chatburn Speeding traffic on Downham Road continues to be a serious concern for residents. Despite the 20 mph limit, many vehicles regularly exceed the speed limit, putting pedestrians, cyclists, and families at risk. We are inviting members of the community to support a petition calling for speed monitoring and traffic calming measures to make the road safer for everyone. Please sign and share the petition to help bring attention to this issue and encourage action. Your support can help make Downham Road safer.

1. Urgent mobile speed checks and installation of speed cameras (mobile or fixed) coordinated with the Metropolitan Police and local Safer Neighbourhood Team. 2. Implementation of traffic-calming measures, which may include: • Speed humps or cushions to reduce vehicle speeds • Raised pedestrian crossings to improve visibility and safety • Chicanes or narrowing of the carriageway to slow traffic naturally • Enhanced signage, including speed limit reminders and warnings of children crossing • Improved road markings to highlight pedestrian areas and crossings • Greater awareness and communication to residents and drivers about road safety and speed limits. 1. Consultation with local residents on long-term solutions to improve safety.

The situation is dangerous and getting worse.  • There are no pedestrian crossings on any of the three crossing points.  • There is a lack of effective speed limit and traffic light enforcement.  As a result, some residents feel trapped in their own homes because it is too dangerous to cross the road, including parents with children, elderly people, and those with limited mobility or disabilities. The pedestrian refuge islands are too short for a bicycle, too narrow for a parent with children, and inconsistent for those using mobility aids, making safe crossing impossible. Without safe crossing and speed management, residents cannot safely access essential services including schools, GP and dental services, pharmacy, the Iffley Turn bus stop, shops, library, sports facilities, Florence Park, and community spaces.  Some residents report waiting several minutes for a safe gap to cross. Most have experienced dangerous situations. Many residents feel forced to drive even very short journeys because walking across the junction feels unsafe. Near-misses happen, and it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt. The safety of this junction must be the paramount priority. This has been previously discussed with councillors, with reassurances made, but it only resurfaces as a topic when local elections approach. This petition is about basic safety and dignity. People should not be trapped in their own neighbourhood because crossing the road has become too dangerous. Sign to demand action before someone gets hurt. 

The cost to charge an electric vehicle on the UK road system is often as high as filling a vehicle with fossil fuels, this is no encouragement to make the switch.  There is clear profiteering from the big players and this needs to be capped.

Stagecoach is stopping people from getting to places because people can't afford £3 for a bus that used to be £1

Why Others Should Join the Campaign to Restore Access to Crowell Road 1. It’s About Fairness for Everyone This isn’t about politics — it’s about fairness. Residents should not be cut off from their own neighbourhood, forced into long diversions, or treated differently from those living just streets away. Fair access is a basic expectation. 2. The Impact Goes Beyond One Road The closure doesn’t just affect Crowell Road — it pushes traffic onto surrounding streets like Newman Road, increasing: Congestion • Pollution in residential areas • Noise and stress for families • Road safety risks When one road is blocked, the whole community feels it. 3. Vital Access Has Been Restricted For four years, residents have faced delays reaching: • Work and schools • Doctors and pharmacies • Shops and local services • Elderly relatives and carers This affects daily life — especially for the elderly, disabled, and families with children. 4. Community Voices Deserve to Be Heard Many residents feel decisions were made to them, not with them. Joining the campaign sends a clear message: 👉 Local people deserve a say in decisions that shape their lives. 5. A United Community Gets Results History shows that when communities stand together: • Reviews happen • Policies are reconsidered • Fairer solutions are found Change doesn’t come from silence — it comes from collective action. 6. This Is About Improving, Not Dividing The campaign is not about removing safety or environmental goals. It’s about finding balanced solutions that: • Protect neighbourhoods • Maintain fair access • Work for everyone Simple Call to Action Join us if you believe: • Residents deserve fair access • Decisions should reflect community needs

The traffic is always gridlocked, cars are backed up trying to get through. Also it is Dangerous for children coming out of school and also for drivers as cars get dangerously close to each other 

In the intervening 7 year period, these bodies have supposedly been discussing options whilst the bridge deteriorates daily. Such a restoration project will be costly and lengthy, but the alternative is that this hydraulic marvel will eventually have to be demolished. William Armstrong's Swing Bridge was the world's first moving bridge. Opened in 1876, it was a marvel of the world and reflected the North East region's engineering skill. To get a restoration project moving needs public opinion to persuade politicians the funding will be worthwhile.

Make it mandatory to have a licence before using the public roads. I think if all road users had to know the highway code they and the road would be a much safer place. They would understand the roads and be less reckless if they had a licence to lose. The roads have changed so much since the highway code began. There are too many cars and large vehicles on the road now for the average cyclist to not HAVE to know the highway code before they use the road. Most public roads are a minimum of 30mph which will easily kill a cyclist. It will save lives and make the roads a safer place for all road users.

Those working in the taxi industry across Calderdale should be recognised as workers that are vital to the success and upkeep of the local economy. Those working within the industry sustain our night time economy and provide an invaluable service to residents. It is right that those who work all hours of day/night have their most basic needs met by the local authority.

To protect drivers from charges that could have been avoided by holding owners and car parks more accountable for ensuring correct, visible signage, and to prevent profiting from this.

We believe that road safety should be given the highest priority.  We call upon Worcestershire County Council and West Mercia Police to work together to reduce the speed limits for vehicles on the Southern Link Road and to improve enforcement by introducing average speed cameras. Many residents living in Kempsey, Norton and St Peter's struggle to enter the roundabouts and there is a history of cars crashing off the roundabouts onto the footpaths. We call for the introduction of traffic light control and safety barriers to protect pedestrians. Local residents living in St Peter's have had to endure excessive road noise and fumes from the cars travelling at 60mph speeds. There are multiple crashes occurring on each of the roundabouts with many not being reported to the police as the drivers fail to stop.