We were recently sent this petition by a reader and wanted to share with with you. If you’d like to sign the petition click here and to see the video scroll down to the bottom of the page. We all want/need safer streets and walkways for our families!
****
Strong concern has been raised by many local residents about the safety of pedestrians, especially children, walking through the Acton Lane underpass. This has been heightened with the opening of ARK Priory Academy and the increase in usage by young school children and their parents and siblings.
The key issues are the wall that sticks out across the footpath and the trajectory of the footpath itself, which directs pedestrians and children on scooters straight into the path of traffic at what is a narrow and awkward section of road. We are extremely concerned that this could lead to a serious injury or fatality – this is based on numerous sightings of vehicles swerving onto the pavement, often very suddenly, to avoid oncoming traffic.
A committee of four volunteers has been formed, all of them fathers of children attending Ark Priory Academy. The committee is dedicated to pursuing action that will result in a safer underpass.
Recent works carried out in March 2015, to add a new railing and repave a private entrance adjoining the protruding wall, have made a bad situation even worse. There are two factors:
1. The new railing now funnels children on scooters and bicycles directly into the path of heavy traffic.
2. The removal of the curb outside the private entrance, immediately after the railing, means children are now less likely to automatically stop at the roadside. It also means that vehicles swerve onto the pavement more often, since they now don’t have to mount a curb to do so.
The committee is in active dialogue with various stakeholders, including Ealing council and the local councillor. If we can submit a petition of 350+ names then this will enhance the case for action.
We call on the council to remove the wall and re-orientate the pedestrian journey for this entire section of pavement.
Best regards,
Duncan, Tej, Stephan and Peter.
