Urgent safety improvements are needed to a busy road in Highbridge before a serious accident happens, a town councillor has warned this week.
Cllr Helen Groves has called on Somerset County Council to make a number of changes to Pepperall Road to make it safer for pedestrians.
“It is my opinion as a pedestrian and a parent that the current provision of crossing points along Pepperall Road are inadequate and an accident waiting to happen,” she told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
“Both the current crossing points are blind to oncoming traffic in one direction of travel. This is an extremely busy road which many children have to cross to make their way to school. Older people with decreased mobility have to cross the road to access the doctor’s surgery.”
“The already limited visibility is further impeded by vehicles parking along the sides of the road and, quite honestly, at times even with the greatest of care is taken I feel I am taking my life into my hands crossing and have personally had more than one or two near misses.”
Cllr Groves added: “I would suggest that a crossing if at all possible should be provided near to the doctors surgery. This would be a preferred solution as it is a mid-way point along the road and would allow easy access to the surgery for those with mobility problems, with greater restrictions upon parking alongside the road between Ben Travers and Burnham Roads to ensure visibility is preserved though there would need to be a limited temporary parking provision for dog walkers and ramblers. I also think clear signage regarding the speed limit along this stretch would help reduce the incidence of speeding.”
“I think the County Council needs to consider very carefully the risks to the public this road presents in its current state.”
