Shailesh Vara MP is pressing Peterborough City Council to review the traffic circulation scheme in Hempsted, Peterborough, following a visit to the area last week.
At present, traffic travelling along London Road must divert along either Cook Avenue or Drake Avenue depending upon its direction of travel. Only buses are permitted to continue along London Road via a dedicated bus lane. Local resident, Lenka Majdakova, has been monitoring vehicle numbers in recent weeks and in one instance recorded 130 vehicles using Drake Avenue in 11 minutes whereas only two buses travelled along London Road.
Mr Vara along with Cllrs Janet Goodwin and Irene Walsh met with Ms Majdakova and local residents to view the problem first-hand. Residents raised concerns about speeding vehicles, damage to property and the potential for fatal accidents involving pedestrians. A petition calling for changes to be made has also been presented to the Council.
Following the visit Mr Vara said:
“The traffic situation along Cook and Drake Avenue is one where accidents are waiting to happen. Whilst the scheme might have looked attractive to council planners on paper, in practice huge numbers of vehicles are passing through built-up residential areas with little regard to speed limits or pedestrians.
Council officers need to come and see the problem for themselves and then work with local residents to agree a solution.
I have also written to Gillian Beasley, Chief Executive of Peterborough City Council, asking her to look into the matter.”
Cllr Irene Walsh commented:
“I fully sympathise with residents on this issue. An unacceptable volume of traffic, including HGVs, travels along Drake Avenue until late into the night. I am pleased that our MP has got involved and hope that, with his support, we can bring about a resolution to this problem.”
Cllr Janet Goodwin added:
“With the support of Shailesh we are hoping to find a solution to the heavy volume of traffic currently driving through Drake Avenue and Cook Avenue.”
Photo: Mr Vara, Cllr Janet Goodwin and Cllr Irene Walsh with local residents on London Road, Hempsted.
