HELP US MAKE ASCOT ROAD SAFER
For over a decade our Parish Council, local councillors, MPs and RBWM have been alerted to the serious
dangers for residents and users on our stretch of the Ascot Road, with excessive speeds, a huge rise in traffic
volumes, and HGVs too wide for the road.
In 2005, residents managed to cajole a reluctant RBWM into laying a non-skid surface, better signage and
a speed-limit reduction to 40mph at both ends of the 30mph zone.
Since then, traffic has nearly doubled to over 6,000 vehicle movements a day and the size and
number of HGVs has increased dramatically. Swerving onto the pavement to avoid collision is now
a regular occurrence.
So what has been done to tackle the problem? NOTHING!
Since 2005 we’ve been asking RBWM at least to enforce both the 30mph speed limit and the weight-limit
signs (Braywick roundabout and just beyond Bird Hills roundabout) but are always told that it’s up to the
police to enforce these issues – and they’ve always said they have no intention of doing so. They don’t have
the manpower, cameras are too expensive, and we haven’t met their target of accidents causing serious
injury or fatality.
In a meeting with RBWM and two local councillors this May we were told that these weight-limit signs are
legally incorrect. The 1979 Windsor Cordon Scheme that these signs were created for – Prohibition of Heavy
Commercial Vehicles Over 17 Tonnes Gross Weight – lapsed years ago and, even if reinstated, don’t meet
European legislation and are therefore unenforceable, according to RBWM Traffic & Safety.
So the fundamental problem remains: the road is not suitable for the size of and number of lorries using it,
and two HGVs can't pass each other on the road without veering up onto the pavement. Given the seriousness
of the problem, and that previous complaints have resulted in little or no action, a group of us have decided
to take a more vocal and campaigning approach. Amongst other plans, for example, we have started to film
how the road is used and will use this footage to attract the widest-possible attention to how dangerous
this stretch of road has become, and how crucial it is that it is made safer.
RBWM NEEDS TO ACT NOW BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED!
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT IN HELPING US TACKLE THIS PROBLEM!
You can help in several ways:
1. Add your name to the on-line petition on this site or the paper copies as these are circulated.
We will deliver these to RBWM Traffic & Safety.
2. Help us come up with a range of potential solutions. It's important that we pro-actively suggest ways of
tackling the problem rather than just complain about it – and get something that we're all happy with.
Please email ideas to us at: ascotroadpetition@gmail.com
3. Collect examples of near-misses – preferably with dates/times. We already have reports of pedestrians
having to jump out of the way, vehicles having to make emergency stops or take avoiding action, residents
having near misses whilst turning in or exiting Hearne Drive, or leaving their driveways onto Ascot Road.
If you any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact:
Andy Spence, The Red Cottage, Ascot Road, Holyport, Berkshire SL6 2HY or call on 07860 550279.
You can also email your support to ascotroadpetition@gmail.com Thank you.
Further to the above, there is a proposal to build an acoustic barrier in the Bracknell area which if approved will result in up to 50 trucks per day travelling on either or both the A330 Ascot Road and Holyport Road. Several residents have objected.
Andrew Cormie's objection is as follows;
QUOTE
I object to this application, unless the trucks involved can be prevented from driving on the A330 through Holyport and Holyport Road, through Holyport.
In the application, it is stated that one of the roads over which trucks will pass - (I understand up to 50 per day) is the A330 which passes through Holyport. This road is too narrow for two large trucks to pass, as each lane is only 8 ft wide and in some places only 7 ft wide.
There are also bends which result in poor visibility. Because of this, trucks often have to mount the walkway. Holyport Residents are already in dispute with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, requesting a solution to this problem.
Too avoid that part of the A330, many vehicles use Holyport Road, which also goes through Holyport. Holyport Road is marginally wider, but the sidewalks are narrow and there have been reports of pedestrians almost being hit by the wing mirrors of large vehicles. Further, even on Holyport Road large vehicles passing each other have mounted the sidewalk.
The Holyport Residents Association is awaiting a response from RBWM as to why their roads do not meet their own design standards. Trucks for this acoustic barrier project are likely to be the type that are are over 8 ft 7 inches wide and are 26 to 30 ft long.
These large heavy vehicles travelling at the speed limit of 30 mph (most drive at faster speeds) have a momentum and kinetic energy which could result in serious damage if a collision takes place between two such vehicles travelling in opposite directions.
Housing abutts onto both the A330 and Holyport Road and pedestrians are often present.
UNQUOTE
The following button will link for objections, and I understand the closing date is Thursday 5th December 2013;
dangers for residents and users on our stretch of the Ascot Road, with excessive speeds, a huge rise in traffic
volumes, and HGVs too wide for the road.
In 2005, residents managed to cajole a reluctant RBWM into laying a non-skid surface, better signage and
a speed-limit reduction to 40mph at both ends of the 30mph zone.
Since then, traffic has nearly doubled to over 6,000 vehicle movements a day and the size and
number of HGVs has increased dramatically. Swerving onto the pavement to avoid collision is now
a regular occurrence.
So what has been done to tackle the problem? NOTHING!
Since 2005 we’ve been asking RBWM at least to enforce both the 30mph speed limit and the weight-limit
signs (Braywick roundabout and just beyond Bird Hills roundabout) but are always told that it’s up to the
police to enforce these issues – and they’ve always said they have no intention of doing so. They don’t have
the manpower, cameras are too expensive, and we haven’t met their target of accidents causing serious
injury or fatality.
In a meeting with RBWM and two local councillors this May we were told that these weight-limit signs are
legally incorrect. The 1979 Windsor Cordon Scheme that these signs were created for – Prohibition of Heavy
Commercial Vehicles Over 17 Tonnes Gross Weight – lapsed years ago and, even if reinstated, don’t meet
European legislation and are therefore unenforceable, according to RBWM Traffic & Safety.
So the fundamental problem remains: the road is not suitable for the size of and number of lorries using it,
and two HGVs can't pass each other on the road without veering up onto the pavement. Given the seriousness
of the problem, and that previous complaints have resulted in little or no action, a group of us have decided
to take a more vocal and campaigning approach. Amongst other plans, for example, we have started to film
how the road is used and will use this footage to attract the widest-possible attention to how dangerous
this stretch of road has become, and how crucial it is that it is made safer.
RBWM NEEDS TO ACT NOW BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED!
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT IN HELPING US TACKLE THIS PROBLEM!
You can help in several ways:
1. Add your name to the on-line petition on this site or the paper copies as these are circulated.
We will deliver these to RBWM Traffic & Safety.
2. Help us come up with a range of potential solutions. It's important that we pro-actively suggest ways of
tackling the problem rather than just complain about it – and get something that we're all happy with.
Please email ideas to us at: ascotroadpetition@gmail.com
3. Collect examples of near-misses – preferably with dates/times. We already have reports of pedestrians
having to jump out of the way, vehicles having to make emergency stops or take avoiding action, residents
having near misses whilst turning in or exiting Hearne Drive, or leaving their driveways onto Ascot Road.
If you any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact:
Andy Spence, The Red Cottage, Ascot Road, Holyport, Berkshire SL6 2HY or call on 07860 550279.
You can also email your support to ascotroadpetition@gmail.com Thank you.
Further to the above, there is a proposal to build an acoustic barrier in the Bracknell area which if approved will result in up to 50 trucks per day travelling on either or both the A330 Ascot Road and Holyport Road. Several residents have objected.
Andrew Cormie's objection is as follows;
QUOTE
I object to this application, unless the trucks involved can be prevented from driving on the A330 through Holyport and Holyport Road, through Holyport.
In the application, it is stated that one of the roads over which trucks will pass - (I understand up to 50 per day) is the A330 which passes through Holyport. This road is too narrow for two large trucks to pass, as each lane is only 8 ft wide and in some places only 7 ft wide.
There are also bends which result in poor visibility. Because of this, trucks often have to mount the walkway. Holyport Residents are already in dispute with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, requesting a solution to this problem.
Too avoid that part of the A330, many vehicles use Holyport Road, which also goes through Holyport. Holyport Road is marginally wider, but the sidewalks are narrow and there have been reports of pedestrians almost being hit by the wing mirrors of large vehicles. Further, even on Holyport Road large vehicles passing each other have mounted the sidewalk.
The Holyport Residents Association is awaiting a response from RBWM as to why their roads do not meet their own design standards. Trucks for this acoustic barrier project are likely to be the type that are are over 8 ft 7 inches wide and are 26 to 30 ft long.
These large heavy vehicles travelling at the speed limit of 30 mph (most drive at faster speeds) have a momentum and kinetic energy which could result in serious damage if a collision takes place between two such vehicles travelling in opposite directions.
Housing abutts onto both the A330 and Holyport Road and pedestrians are often present.
UNQUOTE
The following button will link for objections, and I understand the closing date is Thursday 5th December 2013;
Concern has been expressed that the online petitions ask for too much information. The only REQUIRED information is name, email address and postcode, the rest being optional. You can also tick a box so that on the online form your name does not appear, but your name will be visible to the organiser and will be submitted to RBWM in due course.
The information requested is requested by the petition organiser, not GoPetition. However, please do consider giving your address as this helps give credibility to a petition. Further, any comment you wish to add can also be very helpful.
GoPetition say that they will not use any information for their purposes. If you sign you will receive an email from them confirming that you have signed, and explaining about their policy.
The information requested is requested by the petition organiser, not GoPetition. However, please do consider giving your address as this helps give credibility to a petition. Further, any comment you wish to add can also be very helpful.
GoPetition say that they will not use any information for their purposes. If you sign you will receive an email from them confirming that you have signed, and explaining about their policy.