WORRIED residents say they are seriously concerned over the safety of their road calling it “an accident waiting to happen” after an elderly woman died.
Essex Police announced that sadly a woman in her 70s, has died on Tuesday, June 4, following an incident which involved a car and a pedestrian.
Many residents of the road have been campaigning for nearly 25 years in effort to make the road safer.
The road has a variety of safety issues which need addressing, such as speeding motorists, the large volume of traffic, the narrow width of the road and it’s “pinch points”, incline, banked sides and limited street lighting.
Area - many cars still speed even with the speed limit signs as it's a national speed limit area before you get to the road (Image: Newsquest)
Tight - many parents have to walk their children down the road to the nearby school where there is no pavement (Image: Newsquest)
It also does not have a pavement for a considerable length of the road.
Peter Twyford, is a long-time resident of Station Road and he spearheaded a campaign 22 years ago, to help stop speeding drivers dangerously driving along the road.
Peter and numerous other households put small 30mph and “kill your speed” signs up in their gardens in 2002, it was covered by the press when they were asked to remove the signs.
He said: “We started campaigning almost 25 years ago, the danger was recognised in the village then.
Sad - tributes have been left for the elderly resident of the road who died following the incident (Image: Newsquest)
Tight - two cars near a pinch point along the road (Image: Newsquest)
“Station Road is used easily 100 times more than it was 25 years ago.
“Drivers fly down this road, we’ve been telling the authority, it’s an accident waiting to happen.
“One of the nicest ladies was hit and instantly killed, we’re so upset.
“Our cause has been going round and round in circles.”
“The council has done absolutely nothing except reports and surveys.”
Upset - resident Peter Twyford next to the union jack flag which is half mast in respect of the woman who has passed away (Image: Newsquest)
Problem - a car was forced to pull onto the exisiting pavement to let another vehicle go past (Image: Newsquest)
Pedro Francis, 44, and his family have lived on the road for three years, they moved in just after the second lockdown, and he did not realise “how busy” the road.
Pedro has three young children, two which he currently walks to the nearby primary school every morning, and his third child will be joining the daily walk in September.
He said: “Walking down to school with three young children, I don’t feel safe, I’ve had several near misses when taking them to school.
“The heartbreaking thing is, we wait till a fatality until anything really happens, if anything at all.”
Worried - Pedro Francis next to Station Road (Image: Newsquest)
Concerned residents - (left to right) Stella Hounslow, Alan Cochram, Denise Stocker, and Peter Twyford (Image: Newsquest)
Stella Hounslow has been a resident for 40 years and is a former member of the Wakes Colne Parish Council, who actively campaigned for the road to be made safer but feels like noting has been done.
She said: “Station Road was at the forefront of work we tried to do both to improve road safety, and to highlight the dangers of building any further housing on it.
“In 2015 we submitted a successful rebuff for housing development "call for sites" proposal at the top of Station Rd which described in detail the complex and dangerous nature of the road.
“Ten years on we face the same "call for sites" proposal for the same area, which still seeks to ignore how dangerous Station Road is.”
Not safe - two pedestrians walking down Station Road (Image: Newsquest)
A safety concern - Station Road (Image: Newsquest)
Alan Cochram, in his forties, lives with his family in Station Road, he agrees with it not being safe.
He said: “Station Road is extremely dangerous.
“We have to run between driveways and traffic passes us within centimetres if we don't get off the road, drivers pass too fast and too close.
“It is terrifying sometimes".
The residents would like traffic slowing measures put in place, such as a “working” speed recording sign which captures the speed and registration and speed camera.
Moving the 30mph sign on the road further down to the Spring Gardens area would also be beneficial so motorists start slowing down before they get to Station Road.
A spokesman for Essex Highways said: “We are deeply sorry to hear about this incident.
“Following fatal collisions on the road network, the Road Safety Engineering team conducts full investigations to find any highway-related factors that may have contributed.
"This includes reviewing the past 10 years of collision data in the area.
"If clear patterns or trends are found and remedial highways measures can help prevent them, these will be put forward for consideration through Casualty Reduction schemes.”
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