A CONCERNED Frome resident has handed over a petition to Somerset County Council calling for road safety to be improved.
Richard Bray, a retired road safety officer, has created the petition as he believes the liklihood of an accident in the area where he lives is increasing. He feels that priority road markings need to be installed on three junctions with ripple strips and a 20mph limit being introduced.
“I have lived at Ecos Court from when it first opened, some 23 years ago,” said Richard. “It is now an ideal location to live, with a good community spirit and a real coming together. We now have a large number of infants on the estate and most of those do not have a garden in which to play so the danger of an accident increases with so many playing near roads.
“The petition has been well received by those that I have told about it and it has the support of the local community. I have handed it over to Somerset County Councillor Derek Tanswell who has advised me that he has written to Somerset Highways in support of the petition. I have also contacted the Highways Department, who has said they will get an engineer to look at the situation.
“I appreciate that all these things cost money, which authorities are loathe to spend, but I would be very upset if it cost the serious injury or death of a young child to get a response.”
The area Richard and cllr Tanswell are concerned about is made up of houses owned by Knightstone Housing Association. Their community empowerment officer Emily Osler said, “I’ve been working with residents at Ecos Court for the past year, listening to their concerns and ideas and supporting them to achieve what matters in their community.
“At Ecos Court residents were especially worried about the numbers of young children playing in and around roads and the speeds of vehicles through the estate. Many of the children have nowhere safe to play, so residents are working towards making Ecos Court a safer estate for children.
“We are partnering with Frome PCSO Shelley Day to deliver road safety training, Barnardo’s play rangers to work on children’s friendships and play behaviours, and a landscape architect in the hope of incorporating various small play zones or features around the estate. Residents also run a children’s gardening club to keep them busy.
“Richard Bray has used his knowledge as an ex-road safety officer and his determination to get a petition together to ask Somerset Highways to install speed reduction measures is part of this aim. Cllr Derek Tanswell has pledged his support and we are hoping to have a visit from a highways engineer to assess what can be done to slow vehicles down and make the estate safer for vulnerable road users.”
