Widermere Drive crash pelican crossing calls move up a gear

The pedestrian was knocked down by a car on Windermere Drive in Warndon, Worcester at a zebra crossing near Sainsbury's Blackpole which sparked calls for a crossing with traffic lights.

The woman in her 40s was knocked down at the crossing by a Nissan Figaro at the zebra crossing near Sainsbury’s Blackpole on Wednesday, February 7 at about 5.20pm.

The matter remains 'under investigation' by West Mercia Police, a spokesman confirmed.

MISSION: Cllr Jill Desayrah says she is determined to keep up the pressure for a pelican crossing on Windermere Drive in Warndon near Sainsbury's Blackpole in Worcester (Image: Supplied)

Cllr Jill Desayrah, a city councillor for Warndon, said the issue was high on peoples' agenda in the area and maintains, together with residents who signed the petition, that a light-controlled pelican crossing is the best solution.

Cllr Desayrah says drivers often speed on Windermere Drive and that some drivers did not always stop at the zebra crossing, putting people from the estate at risk.

She added: “Residents regularly stop me in the street to tell me about their concerns. After handing in our petition for improved safety at the zebra crossing on Windermere Drive, some improvements were made.

"However it isn’t enough - our main requests aren’t addressed. Specifically we need the crossing to be light controlled and to have speed calming measures introduced or reinstated along Windermere Drive.

"Unless the county council sorts this out another accident is inevitable. We are not giving up on this.”

Work to improve the zebra crossing began in the middle of April but  Cllr Desayrah says the best solution would be a pelican crossing which involves traffic lights.

Cllr Desayrah was among a group of Labour councillors who handed a 200-signature petition calling for a pelican crossing to Highways bosses at County Hall.

Speaking in April former cabinet member for Highways and Transport, Mike Rouse, said improvements at the zebra crossing would have been ordered in any case and there was no guarantee a pelican crossing would form part of the scheme.

Cllr Rouse, a Conservative, said:  "We must remember that a woman was very sadly seriously injured as a result of a crash at this crossing point, and we send our best wishes to her as she continues her recovery journey.

"This was a trauma that should not be repeated, and as a county council we take incidents like these very seriously.

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"It does not take a petition for us to act in these circumstances; we do it because it's the right thing to do, and improves safety so we can avoid the same thing happening again."

The short-term work will involve making the existing crossing more conspicuous, including upgrading of the existing Belisha beacons with brighter LED halos.

The guard railings will also be altered. Workers on site said 23 metal panels would be removed and six would remain.

Cllr Rouse added: "In addition to the interim improvements, we are conducting an in-depth study to incorporate wider issues along Windermere Drive between the Blackpole traffic roundabout and the Sainsbury’s supermarket mini-roundabout. The work undertaken will consider the replacement of the existing zebra crossing with a pelican crossing facility.

"It's important to note that this means a pelican crossing is not yet guaranteed, as it will be subject to the outcome of the in-depth study.

"This is important because the last thing we would want to do is put something in place that could actually make the situation worse, so we need the results of a proper study first."