A years-long campaign for safety measures at a ‘dangerous junction’ in Caversham used by thousands each day is facing more delays.
The junction is the meeting point of Prospect Street, Peppard Road, Henley Road and Westfield Road.
It is known as ‘the Last Crumb junction’ after the pub there, which was renamed in 2019 after being taken over by the Dodo Pub Co.
The junction is currently controlled by traffic lights, but no pedestrian markings, leaving people on foot to ‘play Russian roulette’ with their safety.
Neighbours have been calling for the junction to be changed for years, with a petition requesting safety measures receiving more than 1,000 signatures in 2022.
A fresh petition has received 1,887 signatures on Change.org and has been officially submitted to Reading Borough Council.
While the council’s highways department has acknowledged the strength of feeling of petitioners, detailed design would be required, and no funding has explicitly been set aside for the requested changes.
Heidi North, who presented the petition at a council meeting, said: “There is no provision for this junction at all for pedestrians, there has already been a child hit in 2020 and obviously that cannot continue.
“There are children from at least seven different schools that have to cross here daily, children wishing to access the newly developed Westfield Park and Balmore Park need to cross it.
“Numerous parishioners need to cross it to access churches, residents wishing to access local shops, boost the local economy need to cross, patrons wishing to access local hospitality establishments, an industry which, of course, doesn’t need any hindrance.
“And due to the demographic of Caversham, pedestrians are already the most vulnerable road users, and represent a high percentage of the particularly vulnerable in society.”
The council’s highways team recommended acknowledging the request, but stated that a detailed investigation will not be started until funding is made available.
John Ennis, lead councillor for transport, said: “We’ve got to take time on it. That doesn’t mean to say it’s pushed into the long grass, because that’s what residents will say, and we understand that, but it’s getting it right, because that may mean changing the whole route about traffic going through there as a major through-route.
“Please be reassured that we’ve listened, and it is a priority, not amongst 150.”
Cllr Ennis (Labour, Southcote) referred to the request for traffic management measures list, which identifies areas for safety improvements for the highways team to devise adjustments.
He added: “We are committed to making this work and making it a priority.”
That was met with scepticism by Rob White, the leader of the main opposition party.
Cllr White (Green, Park) said: “I go through there fairly often and it is a pretty horrendous junction.
“In all honesty, that list is where schemes go to die.”
He then urged residents to keep asking about the funding and timescaling to hold the council to account.
Ultimately, councillors agreed to add the junction to the request for traffic management measures list at the traffic management sub-committee meeting on September 11.
