Call for traffic lights at scene of multiple crashes

A neighbour is leading a campaign to have traffic lights installed at a junction following a number of accidents.

Sarah Brisland started an online petition after a car crashed into her neighbour's garden in Broadwell, Gloucestershire.

More than 1,000 people have signed it, many of them sharing their own experiences of driving over the crossroads between Speech House Road and Poolway Road (B4226), and North Road and South Road (B4432).

Gloucestershire County Council has said it will review the petition when it is submitted and it will increase signage at the crossroads.

Ms Brisland, who has lived in Broadwell for 10 years, said she decided to take action after a car "totally demolished" her neighbour's fence.

Having also witnessed two crashes on CCTV footage in April, she said she believed the number of incidents was down to people "speeding, not paying attention, and not stopping".

There was also concern among residents about some approaches to the junction being blind spots.

"There's been quite a few accidents, some of them are quite minor, but the last two have been some of the worst we've seen in a while," she said.

"The two that we've witnessed on the cameras, there's clearly either people speeding or messing about, or not paying attention."

Ms Brisland said she wanted people in the village, near Coleford, to feel safer, as a result.

"It's not even just the cars, it's the pedestrians," she said.

"The people taking their children to school, the older ones walk across that road to walk to Five Acres [High School]. You've got the elderly, you've got people walking their dogs.

"We just decided something needs to be done - it was too close last time."

The road markings were repainted by the county council in April after concerns their lack of visibility might be leading to crashes.

Residents have also cited concerns about the speed at which cars approach the junction and some suggested employing stop signs and speed bumps.

Some residents can remember collisions happening as far back as several decades ago.

Margaret, who has lived in the area for 20 years, told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: "When we first moved here, we just used to hear 'beep, smash'."

"People think they can come out from North Road and South Road but they can't, because the cars just come out too quickly."

Residents believe the installation of traffic lights would be possible because there are traffic lights at other junctions on the B4432.

Lauren Brown said: "I followed a guy the other day that came flying across.

"Traffic lights have worked up at Mile End, so I don't see why they wouldn't work here."

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust confirmed to the BBC that its crews were called to the crossroads twice in the space of a week in April.

After being called shortly after midnight on 3 April, a spokesperson for the service said it had sent multiple staff and five ambulances to the scene.

"Three patients were taken by three land ambulances to Gloucester Royal Hospital, and another by land ambulance to Southmead Hospital," it added.

An ambulance also attended a crash at the junction on the evening of 10 April.

Following a meeting on Thursday to discuss the future of the junction, a spokesperson for the county council told the BBC: "Our highways team met with the Forest of Dean District Council to discuss this issue and we will continue to work with them.

"We are yet to receive a petition in relation to this area but will review it once it is received.

"The junction has recently been re-lined by the council’s safety inspection team to ensure the road markings are clearly visible, and work is planned to increase the number of signs around the crossroads."

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