Residents call for roundabout to help halt string of accidents
Surrey County Council is being called on to spend money to save lives by people who live and work near what they say is an accident black-spot in Horley.
Residents near the junction of the A217 Reigate Road and Mill Lane said they had witnessed dozens of accidents over the years.
And they blamed many of the collisions on drivers cutting across the carriageway to perform a right turn rather than turning left and driving to a nearby roundabout.
Now, they want the council to build an extra roundabout at the junction, not only to help reduce the possibility of collisions but also to slow traffic using the road.
Mary Beavington, of Reigate Road, said: “I have lived here for six years now with my partner who has lived here for more than 20 years, and unfortunately this has always been a road with a high accident ratio.
“But since the central reservation has been put in and people have been doing U-turns, the accidents have increased.
“Although there is a sign for no U-turning, people seem to be determined to put not only their lives at risk, but the people who hit them at risk too.”
Trevor Bryan, of Hookwood Lodge, felt a roundabout would improve safety in the area. He said: “This is a residential area and the speed limit is 50mph. That’s much too fast. If they put a roundabout in it would slow the traffic down.”
Surrey county councillor Helyn Clack said she would be speaking to the highways department to try to come up with a solution.
She added: “We have been talking about this junction for a very long time. It used to be a crossroads and it was made into a ‘no U-turn’ junction.
“Lots of people are coming out of Mill Lane and can’t be bothered to go to the big roundabout and are doing U-turns – they are crossing into the middle of the road. The roundabout would be a good solution if it’s feasible. But that could take years and we want something done now.”
Ms Beavington added: “I keep thinking one day it will be fatal and is it then and only then that the council will do something about this?”
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Wednesday 22 May 2013
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