Status unknown
Pedestrian crossing unsafe
Sent to Reading Borough Council less than a minute later. FixMyStreet ref: 6824605.
I have reported this previously, but the pedestrian crossing over the A4074 near Knowle Close is an accident waiting to happen. On repeated occasions, I wait at this crossing and numerous vehicles fail to stop.
This evening, it was dark and so my dog had a bright red illuminated collar on and I held a head torch in my hand. I waited instead of stepping onto the crossing, even though the traffic was a fair way from me. 5 vehicles went over the crossing, failing to stop. A cyclist stopped and congratulated me for waiting as he could clearly see that I had time to step out but also knew how dangerous the crossing is. There is clearly a problem with visibility and so I wonder if a crossing with lights would be safer. This is a busy crossing near a park and primary school. It feels like it is only a matter of time before a pedestrian gets hit.
Updates
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As far as I am aware, no changes have been made to the crossing.
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Since I first reported this problem, there have been numerous occasions when I have been waiting at the crossing and vehicles have failed to stop. The most alarming was one evening when I was approaching the crossing from the north side pavement having turned right out of Woodcote Way. A lady with her daughter and dog were waiting to cross on the opposite side. There was a line of traffic coming from the Oxford direction and the first vehicle in that line was stopped at the crossing waiting. A vehicle approached from the Reading side and did not slow down or stop. Immediately afterwards, the vehicle which had been waiting decided to move forwards across the crossing, despite the fact that the woman, daughter and dog were still waiting and also, by now, I was waiting on the opposite side. Both dogs had illuminated collars on. The next vehicle did wait but the lady and I exchanged comments about how shocking this was.
Traffic continues to fail to stop.
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Nothing has changed and drivers continue to drive over the crossing, failing to stop when there is a pedestrian waiting.
I recently saw a crossing, newly installed on Royal Ave, Calcot, between Garston Crescent and High view, which had highly visible lights on each post which imitated the black and white markings. Such a visible crossing alerts drivers to the possibility that there may be a pedestrian waiting to cross.
I believe this type of installation would go a long way to solving the dangerous conditions at the Woodcote Road crossing.
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The crossing remains dangerous. Yesterday evening I witnessed a near-miss when a dog walker started moving across the crossing and a car coming south on the A4074 failed to stop. The pedestrian reached the half-way point and was centimetres from the car when it finally noticed him and stopped, on the actual crossing. The pedestrian was a tall, well-built man, who should have been easy to see. The driver was duly apologetic.
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The situation remains the same, with traffic regularly crossing the junction, despite pedestrians waiting. Yesterday, it was very sunny and as I waited, 4 cars and a motorbike drove through. One car brakes at the last minute, stopping on the actual crossing. The driver claimed the sun was obstructing his vision.
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