500 signatures reached
To: Matt Prosser, Chief Executive, Dorset Council
Wessex Roundabout Crossing Campaign
This roundabout is crossed by many pedestrians and cyclists in order to get to school, work and to access shopping and leisure facilities. It has become increasingly busy and dangerous to cross (particularly in light of the new retail developments at the Chickerell Link Site and the huge new housing developments off Putton Lane) and there are no controlled crossing points in this location: a pedestrian crossing is URGENTLY needed.
As concerned parents of children who have no choice but to cross the roundabout to get to school (on an otherwise safe route), we contacted Dorset Council and a traffic survey was carried out; this confirmed a crossing IS indeed required.
The Council has commissioned a pre-feasibility study, the results of which are due at the end of March. The Council has told us that even if a scheme is approved (of which there is no guarantee), there is currently no budget allocated to implement it and securing funding could take a long time.
This is not good enough; lives continue to be put at risk and the Council has a duty of care to provide a safe route to school for children, particularly as it has identified a need for a crossing in that location. Added to that, the Council has declared a Climate Emergency; many parents and workers drive to school and work because they deem the roundabout too unsafe to cross. This is clearly unsustainable and damaging to our environment.
Furthermore, we are in the midst of an obesity crisis and mental health issues are at an all time high: as such, children should be encouraged to walk or cycle to school for health purposes, both physical and mental. This will not happen where people fear for their children's safety.
Please make the provision of a controlled crossing a top priority before someone is seriously injured or even killed.
Why is this important?
This roundabout is crossed by many pedestrians and cyclists in order to get to school, work and to access shopping and leisure facilities. It has become increasingly busy and dangerous to cross here, where there are currently no controlled crossings: a pedestrian crossing is urgently needed, as proven by a recent Council traffic survey.
Our children have been sworn and shouted at when trying to cross on their way to school - very intimidating when you're just 12 years old. A local lady contacted us recently to say she was nearly run over when trying to cross that road to get to work on the Granby estate. Parents who drive their children to school past the roundabout report how vulnerable people are when trying to cross there.
The Council has a duty of care to provide safe routes to school; a controlled crossing MUST be installed as quickly as possible, before any accidents resulting in serious injury or even death occur.
