Investigating
Footway impassable
Sent to Oxfordshire County Council 7 minutes later. FixMyStreet ref: 6308009.
Despite recent verge cutting, the footway on the railway bridge, and for some distance extending in both directions towards Moulsford and Cholsey, is impassable in places owing to intruding vegetation. Pedestrians must choose between injury from pushing through nettles and brambles, or risk stepping into the traffic lanes.
This is not a cosmetic issue of verge maintenance as might be delegated to Parish Councils, it is an issue of fundamental highways safety. OCC, as Highways Authority, need to take ownership and ensure the safety of all road users, which includes pedestrians.
Council ref: ENQ241013082
Updates
-
Thank you for your enquiry. This issue has been passed onto the relevant team for investigation.
-
Still not fixed and as usual, a deafening silence from OCC. Highway remains unsafe for legitimate pedestrian traffic. OCC, as owner of the highway, bear statutory responsibility for highways safety, I simply don’t understand the lack of interest.
-
Situation has deteriorated even further as of 17th September.
Pedestrian traffic (walkers and runners) using the footway over the bridge must ‘dance’ around the brambles and other weeds, thus teetering on or over the kerb stones.
Since this coincides with a narrowing of the traffic lanes owing to the bridge, and an incentive for drivers and cyclists to (illegally) dart through quickly to beat amber traffic lights, the situation is extremely dangerous.
-
Still not fixed, still very dangerous as of 9am 1st October.
-
Still not fixed as of 10th October.
Since the danger seems to stem from lack of maintenance on a railway bridge, maybe the Relevant Team should think about notifying Network Rail?
In the event of injury or death of a pedestrian, and if Network Rail end up getting sued or prosecuted, they’ll likely take a dim view of the Relevant Team’s apparent policy of simply ignoring repeated reports of danger to pedestrians.
-
There appears to have been a barely perceptible improvement as it is now possible to walk on the footway when crossing the bridge in single file providing that caution is exercised.
The job is far from complete however, as there remains a large weed shrub that is overhanging the wall at southern end. The shrub not only impedes the footway, it also restricts pedestrian headroom. Worst of all, for pedestrians approaching from the south, it obstructs visibility of oncoming traffic.
On the part of footway that seems to have seen token gesture at improvement, a substantial amount of the path remains obstructed by weeds that have taken root in silt upon the surface. This still makes it impossible to pass other pedestrians without stepping into traffic lanes.
-
Still incredibly dangerous as of 9am 8 Nov.
Photo shows that not only are pedestrians compelled to step into the traffic lane, they also have very little visibility of the oncoming traffic that might be about to hit them, albeit slowly, as traffic speeds here in mid junction are already slow.
I remain astonished that, for whatever reasons, the RT (Relevant Team) are choosing to continue to expose pedestrians to such a ridiculous hazard. This weed/shrub simply needs to completely removed, a few minutes time of a person authorised to do so.
-
Still not fixed and still dangerous beyond all comprehension. Running past this location today, there was no choice but to step into the vehicular lanes.
For convenience of the RT, and to illustrate just how ridiculous anti-pedestrian OCC’s priorities have become, I am attaching a streetview picture, from the days when OCC took pedestrian safety seriously. You will notice that there was, then, not a giant mutant weed invading the footway. Please compare this with the picture recently posted in this thread. It might get the message through to the RT that, by inaction, they are exposing themselves - personally - to potential civil or criminal liability, when pedestrians are killed or injured.
-
More than four months since first reported, citing clear endangerment to walkers. Still no response whatsoever from RT, and still not fixed. How on earth are the individual members of RT spending their time? Are they even aware that they are an RT, with responsibility for safety of walkers?
-
Still not fixed, is nobody at OCC interested in safety of pedestrians? Getting really quite ridiculous. A few minutes with a pruning say is all that’s needed.
-
Still not fixed.
-
Still not fixed.
I realise this update will not surprise the RT as they have not addressed it, or even acknowledged it.
However, a recent strategy seems to have emerged whereby issues of pedestrian safety, after being ignored by the RT for a certain period (possibly until Council elections are imminent?) are simply closed in the absence of updates, as if the issue has evaporated.
For that reason, updating… “STILL NOT FIXED”.
-
As a Unix or Linux literate computer user might put it:
Echo “Still not fixed” >> /dev/null
Provide an update
Your information will only be used in accordance with our privacy policy
Tweet
Share