Thumbs down for road safety plans PLANS put forward to step-up safety at a dangerous junction have been blasted by residents who have long campaigned for improvements. The residents, who have long fought to improve the junction at Harrow Road and Kilbu

Thumbs down for road safety plans

PLANS put forward to step-up safety at a dangerous junction have been blasted by residents who have long campaigned for improvements.

The residents, who have long fought to improve the junction at Harrow Road and Kilburn Lane, Kensal Rise, said the plans by Westminster Council to widen traffic islands were insufficient.

Jay Venn, of the Kensal Triangle Residents Association, said: "I think this is a completely inadequate response."

She added: "We have been campaigning to get a safer crossing. We've put in two petitions to Westminster and they've come up with a proposal just to put some larger traffic islands in the middle. What we want is a pelican crossing."

The draft report by the council said that during the three year period ending in 31 July 2009, there were a total of 23 accidents at the junction, which resulted in 28 casualties.

It added that three of those resulted in serious injury and 25 resulted in slight injury. There were no fatalities at the junction during the study period.

Safety measures at the junction have been a source of long-running trouble because it falls on the border off three different London boroughs: Brent, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster.

But Westminster has taken the lead on proposing the new safety measures.

The report said: "The council ...recommends a low cost scheme, which involves widening the existing pedestrian refuges/islands to accommodate people in wheelchairs and parents/carers with push chairs, and road markings that would separate the opposing right turning traffic from Harrow Road."

Earlier, Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, Westminster Labour Leader, welcomed the news of safety improvements.

He noted in a Twitter post that this was "great news after 2 year campaign."

Cllr Dimoldenberg was unavailable for further comment as the Times went to press.

But Ed Fordham, the Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn, said Westminster Council had not listened to residents on this issue.

He said: "The fact is this is a crucial border link between London Boroughs and Westminster and Cllr Dimoldenberg have forgotten to consult with residents in Kensal Triangle over what solution they want to make this junction safer."

Mr Fordham added: "What is proposed is an answer, but it is the wrong answer and Westminster would be wise to pause, consult properly and think again."

Cllr Danny Chalkley, Westminster City Council's cabinet member for city management, said: "We are working with local people and our neighbouring boroughs to make this junction safer, and one idea is to widen the traffic islands which will make crossing much easier."

ben.greening@archant.co.uk