I have received a response today from officers in response to my ongoing campaign to improve road safety on Northumberland Avenue, launched in January 2008.
The Thames Valley Road Safety Partnership, who are responsible for routine maintenance of the speed camera which has been damaged, have been instructed to submit a price for repair to the Council, so hopefully this will be repaired soon.
Officers have told me they have completed a study into road safety on Northumberland Avenue, considering accident hot-spots and issues. This follows sustained pressure from the Lib Dems and local residents.
I'm pleased to say proposals to improve road safety on Northumberland have been included in the Council's borough-wide road safety programme for delivery within 09/10, and will hopefully be approved by Cabinet soon.
Funding for road safety improvements is sadly very low and is only brought forward if accident rates are sufficiently high to merit intervention by the Council. Residents find this frustrating as it effectively means yes, action is taken after an accident, rather than before.
Officers have sent me details of the road safety programme.
The fact that 5 of the Council's 9 proposed road safety schemes for the next year outlined in the programme are planned for various junctions of Northumberland Avenue clearly indicates that this is one of the most dangerous roads in Reading.
Action is long overdue.
If the council had not made such a mess of the Morrison's junction on the old A3, many motorists would not be usinf Northumberland Avenue as they could drive back up the Basingstoke Road without being diverted at the bus only lane.
Posted by: joseph.edwards@ntlworld.com | March 20, 2009 at 03:38 PM