At the June meeting of Council the Parish Councillors expressed their disappointment with a rather dismissive response from the Local Highway Manager for Gloucestershire County Council in relation to a request for an additional pedestrian crossing on the A46.
The response received to our request was:
In order to assess the request for a pedestrian crossing a number of factors need to be considered. Some of these factors are the use of any pedestrian crossing throughout the day not just at peak times, accident data in the locality, lines of sight, proximity to junctions, traffic volumes and speeds and existing pedestrian crossings in the locality.
You’ve acknowledged that there’s a pedestrian crossing close to the Cheese Rollers and any walkers, in my opinion, wouldn’t find using that existing pedestrian crossing an inconvenience. Alternatively they will wait for a suitable gap in the traffic flow in order to consider crossing when they believe it is safe to cross.
Should the Parish Council wish to pursue further the possibility of a pedestrian crossing being assessed for suitability at this location then the next step may be for the Parish Council to consider paying for traffic speed and volume surveys as well as pedestrian surveys but this does not guarantee that a pedestrian crossing will be installed.
The 30mph gateway as you approach the junction with Badgeworth Lane travelling from the Brockworth direction along the Shurdington Road is clearly signed and lined. If the Community Speedwatch Group have identified issues with speeding vehicles in this location then these issues should be picked up with the police in order that the police can consider undertaking their own speed monitoring along this section of Shurdington Road. This should be the first option to take forward and to investigate in more detail in order to address the concerns that you have raised.
Shurdington Parish Council would advise any parishioners who share the concerns of the Parish Council to write to: Mr David Pritchett, Local Highway Manager, Shire Hall, Gloucester or email highways@gloucestershire.gov.uk