Urgent action needed to prevent a fatality in Forty Lane corridor Wembley

In a much wider discussion about transport improvements in Brent the Cabinet last night discussed the problems in the Forty Lane corridor (Forty Lane/Forty Avenue is the main road going across the centre of the map above). You can see my video of the problem at the Kings Drive/Asda junction HERE.

Cllr Pavey, speaking in his Barn Hill ward councillor role, acknowledged that the issue was dealt with as a long-term objective through a preliminary design process in the ILP but was concerned that given the number of accidents recorded it had not been addressed much earlier.

Cllr Southwood, the Lead Member for the Environment, said that this a TfL responsibility but that a shorter term alleviation may be possible - there may be other ways of looking at the problem. She went on to say:

The safety of people on our roads is an absolute priority for the Council.

Sandoor Fazekas, Project Development Manager Brent Transportation last week acknowledged the need for...

...immediate action to discourage motorists contravening the traffic regulations at the junction of  Kings Drive and Forty Lane. we shall therefore review the existing signage and road markings to improve compliance and this will include the introduction of camera enforcement signs along with increased enforcement during peak hours to target habitual offenders.

Meanwhile earlier yesterday a resident emailed me to say that what was recorded on the video was an example of what she was seeing daily. She went on:

This morning – I’m sorry, I know this is probably getting boring but I’m so frustrated – many people, including students from Preston Manor, got off the bus at the stop outside Asda on Forty Lane.  They then continued their journey across the junction by the Torch towards Forty Avenue – this involves crossing against traffic in two lanes from Forty Avenue on a left turn only down Bridge Road to the first pedestrian island, then across one lane for traffic turning right from Forty Avenue or straight across Barn Hill, and then across two lanes of traffic from Bridge Road turning right into Forty Lane, and then across one lane of traffic turning left from Bridge Road into Forty Avenue.  As I stood to cross over Forty Avenue towards Wembley Park station at 08.10 two cars from Forty Avenue jumped the red lights, blocked the box junction, and then continued on down Bridge Road against the green man pedestrian light with people trying to cross.

Again, there are students, school age children, using these crossings where I, with 50+ years of experience as a pedestrian and 30+ years as a car and motorcycle user, have trouble crossing.

In an email to Cllr Pavey ahead of the Cabinet Meeting I wrote that there was a real possibility of a fatality if the problems were not addressed. He agreed.