New markings were installed this morning on King's Drive, Wembley, at the junction with Forty Lane and the ASDA slip road.
Campaigners including Wembley Matters and local resident Ann Fitzgerald have drawn attention to the dangers at the crossing. LINK Often people drive straight across six lanes of traffic (there are no traffic lights on King's Drive) and do a u-turn on the Asda slip road to drive north to Bridge Road/Forty Avenue. The large 'Turn Left' sign and cross hatching make it clearer that cars should not drive across Forty Lane. In addition there are now no parking zig zags outside the French School entrance in King's Drive which used to be the Town Hall car park entrance, very close to the junction.
Ann Fitzgerald who has witnessed numerous infringements at the junction said the news was 'Brilliant!':
I’m so fearful of one of the children getting knocked down. A BMW on Monday did that Kings Drive cut through at speed. I just don’t know if I could live with myself – thus I feel I have become a nag. But as you know yourself, it’s right by the entry gates to the Lycee and I do think drivers get a tunnel vision with gaining time and just don’t think pedestrian.Ironically cars were seen using the manoeuvre even while the workmen were painting the signs.
The installation of a yellow junction box LINK at the junction is the next stage in making the junction safe. This will address the problem in the morning school-run rush hour of slow moving traffic blocking the pedestrian crossing even when the lights are on green.
It is hoped that the box junction will be installed before December 7th. It will have to be done overnight due to the volume of day time traffic and timing will be dependent on the weather.
There are also plans for a new signal crossing at the junction of The Paddocks and Forty Lane, the other side of the French School. It is hoped that this might deter people crossing Forty Lane from the bus stop outside the old Town Hall entrance to the Chalkhill Estate.
Oh not another yellow box! They are a cash cow. I consider myself to be a really carefull and experienced driver but even I have been accidentally trapped in these boxes due to bad visibility, too much traffic causing sudden braking and people changing lanes while you wait and taking your place. You have no idea how easy it is to get trapped until it happens to you , and it will.
ReplyDeleteMuni3131 - I would agree with the "cash cow" comment on yellow boxes. I have an email trail between myself and Brent Council about this junction : 6 Feb 15 I emailed and alerted Brent Council to the numerous vehicles contravening the No Right Turn signs at the junction Kings Drive/Forty Lane, stating "This route is used by vehicles to avoid the traffic congestion on The Paddocks; as such I find the vehicles are moving at speed down Kings Drive and on more than one occasion I’ve seen the drivers looking only at the flow of traffic and NOT at pedestrians crossing the road at this junction" . Brent Council response "Thank you for your query regarding the recently observed contravention from Kings Drive turning right into Forty Lane. I have asked Brent’s parking enforcement team to pay special attention to this problem. I have had a confirmation from the parking team today that they will be monitoring the situation with a view to take actions on those contravening the traffic regulations."
ReplyDeleteMy reply - "Thank you for your reply. However, your email would appear to suggest that Brent Council will be working to catch these drivers contravening the traffic regulations rather than being proactive in stopping drivers from using Kings Drive as a short cut, speeding down Kings Drive and illegally turning right onto Forty Lane. I’m not looking to fill the coffers of Brent Council in reporting this in order for one or two drivers to be caught and fined, but in stopping it from happening altogether, because I do believe there will be an accident at that junction, either involving vehicles or pedestrians".
Nine months on from that we have a yellow box to be installed.
Ann Fitzgerald