"Kill your speed, not us" say Marsh Benham A4 campaigners
Chairing the meeting was Marsh Benham resident Angela McFarlane, who was among the first on the scene after an elderly cyclist was involved in a collision while crossing the A4, close to Milkhouse Road, earlier this month.
The incident followed a two-vehicle accident five weeks previously, in which a woman died close to the same junction.
Mrs McFarlane said: “We did predict that someone would be killed, and low and behold they have been.”
The Marsh Benham Residents Action Group has joined forces with the Halfway Residents’ Group, who have also been campaigning for a reduced speed limit along the A4.
Residents voiced concerns that adding to the dangers of the 60mph speed limit was the poor visibility from both junctions in and out of the village, with those exiting from the junction opposite Church Road facing reduced visibility from the brow of the hill, while at the Milkhouse Road junction visibility was reduced owing to a hedge which borders the road.
Steve Moore said he estimated the visibility from the latter junction to be 80 metres; Government guidance suggests visibility should stretch to 215m.
“It’s absolutely lethal,” he said. “We are concerned about people speeding, but even if they are doing 60mph it’s hard to get out of that junction.”
The group agreed to ask Sutton Estate landowners to move the hedge back from the road. Residents added that their concerns on safety would only be exacerbated if plans to introduce a historic entrance to Benham Valence from the A4 were approved by West Berkshire Council – a decision is to be made on Wednesday evening.
The head of highways and transport at West Berkshire Council, Mark Edwards, said: “We will work with you to do what we can to improve things.
“I think the average speed limit is 58mph in both directions. You do get the idiots that do 70 to 80mph.
“Yes, we could reduce the speed limit to 50mph. It has got to be realistic.”
He said that reducing it to 30mph was not enforceable and was likely to be ignored.
A week-long speed and traffic survey is to be carried out along the stretch of the A4 that passes Marsh Benham.
Responding to requests to have a speed camera installed there, Mr Edwards said specific Government criteria had to be met for one to be installed, including at least four fatal or serious collisions having occurred in a one-kilometre stretch of the road within three calendar years, and/or eight minor collisions.
He suggested that a community speed watch team could be introduced.
It would involve council officers manning part of the road with a speed gun. Anyone caught speeding would receive a warning letter from the council. Anyone caught a second time would get a letter from Thames Valley Police, and anyone caught a third time would receive a police visit.
Residents also suggested that other measures could be introduced to warn drivers of the junctions, such as installing red warning tarmac on the approach.
Mr Edwards added that the majority of accidents on the A4 were not caused by road conditions but by the inattention of drivers, including the use of mobile phones or driving after consuming alcohol.