I was saddened to learn that the huge disruption to traffic this morning was due to an accident involving an elderly pedestrian on the Sainsbury's roundabout. It goes without saying that this is a tragedy for this gentleman's family and hopefully, forum members will refrain from 'smart alec' comments such as those which accompanied the posts on the Headley ford drowning.

But, I really wanted to question the safety of all the crossings around this roundabout. I have only recently (in an effort to save parking charges) taken advantage of Sainsbury's two hour free parking for customers and used these crossing points to go into the town centre. I was frankly, terrified - although there is a 40mph speed limit on this stretch of road and there are 'green man' signals for each of the separate crossing points, it feels quite unsafe as a pedestrian as traffic seems to be flying past and some drivers seem to accelerate wildly away from the lights. I am not elderly and my eyesight, hearing and faculties are fine but I have always been fearful, as a driver, that someone will step out in front of a car - and today, it would seem they did.

Of course I realise one could use the underpass, but, as a female, 'underpasses' are something I have always tried to avoid where there is an 'above ground' option. Maybe though, this might be a time to look at the safety of all these crossing points and consider whether to extend the railings and not allow pedestrians to cross above ground - maybe making the underpasses the only option?

Very sad for the lady and the family.

Please keep the crossings though. Would I want my daughter/grand-daughter using the underpass at 2.00am? Wpuld you use the underpass at 2.00am? Not everybody works 9.00-5.00 and with at least three underpass muggings this year, I still think 'overground' is the safest option.

All options for crossing this section of road have inherent dangers, I guess it's just a question of which has the least.

Underpass has the risk of muggings / abuse etc.

A bridge would have a risk of falling objects or persons.

Pedestrian crossings as are present would actually seem to be the most sensible option.

Unfortunately they are always people, drivers or otherwise who are either careless or choose to ignore the accepted protocol or rules.
There are also, quite frequently, unfortunate and tragic accidents which cannot be legislated for.

Well, it's a shame this person was died/injured (haven't read the story).
Sometimes people do drive a bit quick around this area or accelerate away from lights but when the lights go red there is still a good 4-5 second delay in peak periods between red pedestrian light and the traffic lights going green.

I can understand about the problem with underpasses at night however during the day, it would be OK. Never personally bothered me the odd time I walk through there. I would think that you need to observe the traffic signals more attentively as a pedestrian. But the circumstances around this will take a while to become fully understood.

Very sad for the man and his family, however I use the crossings most lunchtimes and have to got to say I dont find them a problem at all. There will always be someone who steps out into the road when it is red, but realistically what can you do about it ?

I totally agree drivers are ignoring the speed limit which does not appear to be monitored and would suggest that speed/jump cameras be installed this might also be a good idea at the Hambridge lights where drivers totally ignore the red lights and continually jump them especially fgrom a A4 from town turning right into Hambridge road.

A shame. Although, I walk across here daily, normally I walk to Sainsburys from town. I also make the return journey at approximately the same time. Never have a problem, myself. I do however have a tendency to walk into lamp posts.
I see some people who will still go to cross the road, just as the red illuminated man begins to show.. late for a business meeting, I assume. Why take the risk.

I hope the poor man makes a full recovery in Hospital and thoughts are with his family.

However, although I know cars come speeding round the corners, and many go faster than they should do, especially between the different sets of lights, the pedestrians also cause a lot of problems.

I haven't been driving for very long, however the amount of times I have seen a pedestrian press the button and then cross without waiting for the green man because they thought it was safe to do so, and pedestrians who decide to actually cross the dual carriageway, climb over the railings in the middle and then cross on the other side is ridiculous!

I think everyone needs to have a lot more awareness of their surroundings and remember that cars will do a lot of damage to you if it hits you at speed, and they can't always be blamed if someone was to step right out in front of them.

Sorry to hear about the accident.

I have previously thought whether the crossing should be moved a little towards the rail station to take it a bit away from the junction.

As this is the Newbury Weekly News forum, I'm always surprised when people post on the 'Newbury News' section of the forum without reading the news first! Isn't that how the furore over Xjay (or whatever incarnation he was at that time) occured when he didn't bother to even read a story first.

Maybe a little hasty and judgemental Roger T to assume this chap was 'late for a business meeting' - he is described as an 'elderly man' - which, let's be honest, could describe most of the members of this forum!!

As there is such an emphasis these days on health & safety (and even the proximity of our local police station!), I would have hoped there would have been regular risk assessments carried out on these crossings?

am not sure Rodger meant the elderly man in question, just as an example he has seen people jumping the red light.

You are correct Andy thank you. I thought I was being quite clear, for once. You can only please some of the people, all of the time, or something like that.

I don't think that the lights for the pedestrians are very well sync'd. You cross from the town side to the middle on green and just as you get to the 2nd crossing it turns red. You are then tempted to flee across rather than wait.

Without knowing the circumstances of the accident it is impossible to comment on the satefy of the pedestrian crossings. I have used them many times & never have felt in any danger.

Yes, I have seen people rush as a result, although I do not know if this was a factor in recent events.

You are joking right?

The health and safety culture is what I think is causing great damage to the UK economy... of course I am the most qualified person for the job (I taught lower level English and IT so well qualified for the financial side of things... (sarcasm))

What would you like, perhaps Hi-visibility jackets, method statements and a risk assesment form all filled out before you can use a crossing?
Crossings are clear to me and have been since childhood... light is red, you wait, light is green, you go. Of course we may bend these rules traffic flow depending but ultimately if I walk out and get hit, and the pedestrian light is red, it's only myself to blame..

I was there when it happened (about 10ish this morning); we weren't allowed to leave Sainsbury's while the helicopter was down. It stayed down for about 30 minutes to 45 minutes.


I was almost next to the helicopter (a safe distance away) and the woman who was injured was talking to the ambulance grew; so that was some good news.

The woman was crossing and she was hit by a car. The Police detained the car and the driver. The lady had head injuries.

No **** sherlock.

I'd kind of figured that out already. NWN has it as a male pedestrian btw.

It's good then, that I didn't read the news paper.
"The elderly man woman toddler was or wasn't probably injured today.."

The real reason why I didn't read was, I was confused.

I was there and it was a woman. An oldish woman. The police officer I was talking to at the time confirmed it.

For all those that claim that vehicles are constantly speeding here, you need to realise that the speed limit on the roundabout is 40 mph.

The traffic and pedestrian lights are phased to provide minimum inconvenience for everybody. This means that it is not possible to cross the A339 as a pedestrian all the way on one change of the lights. .Likewise, when turning right at the roundabout in a vehicle, it is not possible to get green lights all the way. If all parties are obeying the lights, it is not possible to have a pedestrian/vehicle collision.

What this heavily-used roundabout actually needs - money allowing - is a North-South single lane in each direction bridge for light vehicles. (a bit like the Chiswick flyover). This would remove a great deal of vehicular traffic from the junction and thus reduce the queuing.

Yes, Timbo, as an ex academic, you're right - you'll have recognised it instantly - it's called irony! - and I agree about 'elf and safety' ruining most fun things but crossing roads is a necessity and crossings should be inherently safe.

If you're old enough to remember The Tufty Club , you, like me, would have learned all your road safety from a squirrel! I guess in some instances, it would be 'my fault' if I was hit while crossing a road but when my sister was hit by a car when she was 7, crossing a road from school, I'd like to think the consensus of opinion at the time wasn't that it was her own fault. To blame the pedestrian is to assume no drivers ever jump lights or act recklessly (neither of which I am suggesting was the case here).

And, thanks to GMR, we now know it was a lady (not a gentleman) and she is ok - so good news all round (and not very accurate news cover by NWN I'm afraid!). So obviously late for her hair appointment no doubt!!

There is the possibility that you walk out on green and the vehicle has not stopped for the red light and hits you.
I have seen many vehicles go through red at both Sainburys and Robin Hood.
Best not to just rely on the green cross signal but still look out for traffic that may be breaking the rules.

Tuned into your scanner again?

73 apparently

Hmm, I see another thread deletion on the horizon.....

Would you like to write that in English?

Tuned into your scanner again?

73 apparently

I haven't got a scanner, but I was there... unlike you who probably uses a scanner. Seeing as you know what number it is.

it means the old lady was 73, suprised they used the air ambulance is she was sat up and talking. Although they prob did'nt know the nature of her injurys.

I cross at that junction several times a week. I also drive through it daily. I never cross unless on green as I've lost count of the times cars have jumped a red to get through the roundabout. When driving I frequently see drivers jumping the red or moving into the roundabout before it is clear. Colleagues and I have commented many times on how you take your life in your hands using the ped. crossing. Having said all this, from where the police/fire road markings are I would say either the injured person has been hit at the crossing and traveled with the car for some distance, or was not using the crossing at all. very sad and likely avoidable.

Thanks.

She wasn't sat up talking. She was lying flat on her back on the stretcher. But you could see the ambulance lady talking to her and smiling. And of course she had her eyes open. But it was head injuries; which could mean anything.

They are.
It's some of the people that use them, both pedestrians and drivers (and cyclists!), who aren't.
(Similar story for level crossings and the such like.)

You just seem to have a knack of being in theright place at the 'right' time.

The person injured was reported as being 73 you twerp.

Irony - surely men do 'business', while women only do 'hair and nails'! I most certainly was not suggesting this seriously!!

It was a man not a women GMR!

Also, I've been told that the man was crossing when the pedestrian light was on red.

Once they get to a certain age, they all look the same (to the witness)!

Surely this is a golden opportunity to install some nice rising bollards to protect the pedestrians.

There was a 3 vehicle crash in Compton this morning involving 2 cars and a lorry - 3 ambulances and a fire engine turned up... does'nt even get a mention on the NWN website... what great local journalism.

They put crossings in places where there is an obvious 'desire line' to account for the fact that humans are bone idle and can be very dimwitted. If the crossing had been built 20m away from the junction (and even if there had been railings in place which guided people to the crossing and prevented you from just stepping into the road) you would STILL get far too many who couldn't be bothered with the extra 20m walk and would just climb over the railing so they could go in a straight line to their destination.

On the A4 in Thatcham you have a pedestrian crossing at the junction with Stoney Lane, which leads to Kennet School. At the other end and within 200m (approx?) you have another pedestrian crossing at the Floral Way roundabout which also helps you to get to Francis Baily school... But EVERY school day you get parents parking in the Texaco garage and pulling their kids across the road into the path of moving traffic (and hoping someone will stop) because they can't be bothered with the fag of walking up to the crossing then walking back....

"It's an accident waiting to happen I tell you!"




Why not have a tunnel instead? They could use the pedestrian subways that pedestrians are too scared to use....

You can see this in action with the Ped Crossings next to the cinema. People just jaywalk on the apex of the corrner instead.

I was told by the police officer at the scene it was a woman. As for me; I saw a grey haired person that looked like a woman.

And the police it seems.

The statement on the Thames Valley Police website even states it's a man.

That maybe so; but it was a police officer at the scene that told me it was a woman and what I saw on the stretcher looked like a grey haired woman. Beyond that..... !

Your stock answer - 'it was what I was told'.....

Police disinformation continues..... tsk

The debate of whether the victim was male or female is
1. barely relevant
2. may touch on some delicate lifestyle issues.