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Feisty meeting debates barricade for Egham Hythe 'rat run'
Angry residents packed a church hall to discuss controversial plans to barricade a road to stop speeding motorists.
More than 70 residents filled St Paul's Church Hall, Egham Hythe, to hear more about plans by Surrey County Council to put a barrier in St Paul's Road to prevent it being used as a 'rat run' by speeding motorists, getting from Chertsey Lane to Thorpe Road and vice versa.
The feisty meeting, chaired by borough ward councillor, Gill Warner, involved residents both in favour of the barrier, many from St Paul's Road and the Wapshott and Bowes Road estate. And also numerous residents vehemently opposed to the proposals.
Cllr Warner said that any traffic problems on the road would be exacerbated when other homes on the newly redeveloped housing estate were filled.
Arguing against the barrier, one resident said: "The community of Egham has the right to use this road."
Bowes Road resident, Dennis Williams, added: "Why should we on this estate be penalised by other traffic that comes through?
"They should be penalised in some way, and speed humps would do it. The speeding motorists should pay the penalty - not us."
Len Blackwood, who has lived on St Paul's Road for 30 years, said the barrier proposals were 'marvellous'. When a discussion arose about whether the key issue was sheer volume of traffic, or the speed of motorists, he said: "Speed is the crucial issue. I see cars going down here at 60mph and there's young kids around. I don't like it.
"Blow the amount of traffic, it's the speed. I would put up with going the long way round - for safety."
Another resident claimed he had been overtaken on the road by a BMW which 'went through at 45 or 50mph'.
"So, how are we going to stop that?" he asked.
Many other residents expressed fears that with the level crossing barriers down, there would be no alternative route for traffic and it would become even more congested. They claimed this would get even worse if the Airtrack rail link was to be given the go-ahead.
The barrier proposals came following a consultation between residents on the affected roads and Surrey County Council. The residents were given options of various calming measures, including speed humps and chicanes, but the barrier proved the most popular.
Another meeting will take place at the church hall on February 22, at 7pm. Surrey County Councillor, Yvonna Lay will be on hand to answer questions.
Other opinions expressed at the meeting:
- "I can't see how anybody can shut this estate off, it's a public road. Is there no other way of slowing the traffic down? I'm concerned as in my street alone the number of cars has doubled."
- "The question is where will the barriers go?"
- "All this talk about speed, I live in Farm Close and was going to Egham last night and a BMW came past me and they went through at 45 or 50mph. So how are we going to stop that?"
- "When the level crossing barriers are down, it's as bad here as it is at Pooley Green."
- "Because it's ex-local authority housing they are putting in the cheapest option they can."
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I am totally against the barrier being installed to stop traffic cutting through the Wapshott estate. I have two daughters who live here and when I visit them I don't wish to be in a situation where I have much increased travel time due to having to wait at the level crossing when I could just drive in off Chertsey Lane or from Thorpe Road depending on the start of my journey.
The traffic in the mornings is congested enough, especially term time, which will be exacerbated by the barrier. I feel that it will only move the problem elsewhere as traffic cuts through roads such as Park Avenue, South Avenue and all roads off of Thorpe Lea Road as drivers cut through to try to avoid the queues. That's without the extra congestion it will cause in Chertsey Lane.
Speeding is an issue borough wide and needs to be addressed, but not by cutting off public roads by installing barriers and creating additional traffic problems elsewhere.
I was at this meeting, and all present were given the impression that any ideas regarding calming measures, i.e. speed humps, cameras, chicanes etc. would be given due consideration and be put forward to the council. In fact a lot of the meeting was taken up by people putting forward their ideas. However, at the next meeting on February 22nd, Councillor Yvonna Lay blanked any ideas stating that 'we considered this, we considered that' and that will not happen. In short, what she was saying was we don't want to hear your opinions, we have decided already that it is the barrier or nothing. She also persisted in saying that all the residents had been consulted and more than 50% were in favour and it was on that basis that the plans had been made. Well I am sorry but that is a BIG FAT LIE. I know a number of people on the estate and NOT 1 of them were consulted or even knew about this proposal until JUST before the first meeting in Feburary - by which time plans had already been put in place. So who were these residents who voted? - I for one would like more details on this. Another thing to consider is that Goring Road (which is where Councillor Yvonna Lay is a resident) had barriers erected many years ago to stop cars cutting through in just the same way. If anyone is familiar with the area (which I am as I have lived in Bowes Road council estate for 30 years), you will have noticed that these barriers have been put in exactly where the council estate and the private houses meet, thus SEPARATING the private house owners from the council estate - I would urge you to question where exactly is this barrier intended to be placed in St. Paul's Road? I myself anticipate it being placed across the road just before the turning into Wapshott Road - THUS,CUTTING THE PRIVATE HOUSES OFF FROM THE COUNCIL ESTATE. I personally think that yes, the speeding problem has been an issue on the estate for many years, I have seen drivers using the bend in Cornwall Way like a racing circuit, but I can't help feeling that the private residents are rubbing their hands and pushing for the barrier because they want the 'exclusivity' the barrier would bring to them. They will not have the problem of getting to their local doctors or their local shops which many on the estate will.
The feeble excuse given for speed humps not to be considered was that residents in St. Pauls Road had bedrooms at the front of their homes and the noise would disturb them at night together with the parking issues these would create. Well everyone else on the estate has bedrooms at the front of their properties but didn't object to speed humps!!! and has anyone seen the speed humps in Gresham Road in Staines - they work very well there so there really is no argument on that front. I would ask you to consider whether this is now an issue of speeding or snobbery.