Pedestrian crossing rejected on road dubbed a 'risk'

Calls for a pedestrian crossing on a busy road which has been described as a "risk" by Surrey villagers have been rejected.

Residents in Sidlow made a plea for safety measures on the A217 after they warned in a petition signed by more than 100 people that it was "only a matter of time" before a fatal accident occurs.

The petition cites a history of serious accidents on the road, including the death of a schoolchild - but Surrey County Council said police figures show three injuries on the 40mph section of the road through Sidlow over the last three years.

The council said at a meeting on Tuesday that the road does not meet high-priority criteria, the Local Democratic Reporting Service said.

Petitioner Helen Wilkinson told the meeting that residents were having to "give up on" local amenities "or "take the risk" of crossing the road.

She described elderly residents sprinting across the road and schoolchildren using bus stops on both sides.

In response, cabinet member Matt Furniss said the site doesn't currently meet the council's criteria for a funded pedestrian crossing.

He said: "Although any one collision is one too many, this does not represent a very large problem in terms of road casualties compared to many other sites across Surrey."

Council officers also confirmed that the road was not wide enough to safely accommodate a pedestrian crossing.

However, the council said it would carry out speed surveys on the road in March to assess whether a signed-only speed reduction to 30mph would be viable.

The speed survey results are expected to be shared with residents in spring next year, after which the council will decide what further measures are possible.

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