Boy hit by car at "dangerous" crossing
Hundreds sign petition to restore original crossing in West Berkshire and claim council put traffic flow before safety
CAMPAIGNERS have called on West Berkshire Council to restore a crossing on the Bath Road stretch of the A4 in Calcot after a young child was hit by a car.
A four-year-old boy, Alex Diamond, suffered injuries to his head and ankle when he was knocked over by a silver Audi while crossing the road on his way to school on at 8.53am on Wednesday, November 16.
The four-year-old reportedly ran into the road after seeing a green man on the opposite side of the road, without realising his own side was still red.
His mother, Victoria Diamond, is one of 239 people to have signed an online petition to restore the original crossing.
She said: “Thankfully he has suffered only minor injuries... the next child may not be so lucky.”
The creators of the petition have said they believe West Berkshire Council has put traffic flow before the safety of children.
One of the 239 people to sign the petition, Jeremy Blackall, said: “This crossing is unsafe for our children. "It leaves our children in the middle of an extremly busy major road whilst waiting for lanes of fast moving traffic to stop. There is no audible warning to cross and it has been built without consultation with local residents.”
West Berkshire Council's executive member for highways and transport, David Betts (Con, Purley-on-Thames) said the council believed the changes, carried out as part of alterations to the Langley Hill junction, were an improvement.
“The road has been widened. The second part was the option to upgrade to the safer type of crossing, the pelican crossing, like those seen all over Newbury,” he said.
“They are safer we believe, the Go/No Go lights are in a position where we can see them and look at the traffic. There is also a centre island which we believe is safer.
“We are addressing the concerns of safety on the centre island and will be adjusting the lights to give more time, and we are looking at the concerns over the Go/No Go lights
“We have conducted two assemblies at the school, and we have site visits with the school and governers scheduled for December 5.”
Mr Betts said an independent review of the safety measures was always carried out when changes such as this were made, and he said if anyone had concerns they were to contact the council.
