ELDERLY residents of two sheltered accommodation blocks have joined forces to campaign for a pedestrian crossing at a notoriously dangerous set of traffic lights.
Hundreds of pedestrians cross Roding Lane in Buckhurst Hill every day at the junction with Loughton Road and Albert Way.
Despite studs in the tarmac marking out a path for pedestrians, the lights only respond to traffic, and pensioners have repeatedly found themselves stranded in the middle as the lights return to green.
Residents of Regency Lodge in Albert Road, along with those of Buckhurst Court, have started collecting names on a petition demanding lights that take account of pedestrians.
Aline Kaye, 77, of Regency Lodge, said: “It is vital that something is done. The traffic lights are not phased for pedestrians. It is only five seconds before they change.
“Pedestrians have got to run across, and old people cannot always run.
“I have lost count of the number of stories I have heard of near misses from people who live here. All of my neighbours in the Lodge are very apprehensive about crossing the road.”
In 2007 there was a fatal accident at the accident at the junction and there have been three other minor accidents there since.
Residents who began flyposting in the area over the summer demanding improvements to the junction found their posters torn down, but are hoping that the petition will have more effect.
Steven Neville, 36, of Rous Road in Buckhurst Hill, is helping to organise the petition.
He said: “Everyone knows what a dangerous crossing it is.
“We have raised the issue with Essex County Council and their response is that they can’t change the timing of the lights as it would interrupt the traffic flow.
“We are of the view that it is more important that someone is not seriously injured.”
Cllr Tracey Chapman, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said: “Our funds for Casualty Reduction Schemes are targeted at sites with a known collision history.
"We carried out an assessment of the junction at Loughton Way and Roding Lane earlier this year and the site does not meet the necessary criteria for a crossing to be installed.
"Essex County Council takes road safety very seriously and we need to ensure that we are focusing our resources on the right areas.”
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