A RESIDENT of Claremont Avenue is urging Surrey County Council to install traffic calming measures before a pedestrian is hit by a speeding vehicle.

Kevin Luddington fears for the safety of those crossing the road, which is a one-way route between Guildford Road and the junction with Wych Hill Lane, towards Woking Football Club, and has begun a petition to make his concerns known to the council.

“I’m trying to do my bit for neighbourhood safety,” Mr Luddington told the News & Mail. “Claremont Avenue has a number of vulnerable residents, including the elderly, young children and a blind man, and there is a nursery for the under-fives.

“Many motorists and motorcyclists totally disregard the 30mph limit. They put their foot on the floor because the configuration of the road is largely straight until the junction with Wych Hill Lane. That makes the residents very nervous.

“One lady has a baby and finds it difficult to cross the road because of the vehicle speeds. She calls it ‘a rat run’.

“A blind gentleman has had two near misses. Only recently he tried to cross the road, listening for vehicles coming along.

“He’d just got halfway across when he heard a car enter the road and start to accelerate. He tried to run to the opposite footpath but stumbled. Fortunately, he’s all right, but the car failed to stop.

“We just want a safer avenue, with road humps stretching the width of the road. I want to prevent accidents, not have the council get involved after someone’s been hurt, or worse.

“I care about pedestrians and would like them to be able to go about their lives in safety.”

The News & Mail has seen correspondence between Surrey County Council and Woking ward councillor Andy Caulfield, which refers to “enquiries about vehicle speeds along Claremont Avenue” and cites a speed survey from September 2016.

“In terms of personal injury collisions, any issue is at the junction with Wych Hill Lane/Kingfield Road where eastbound traffic on Wych Hill Lane is required to stop at Claremont Avenue,” reads the council’s response.

However, Mr Luddington believes the survey misses the point.

“The much greater danger is at the Guildford Road end of the avenue, where vehicles are picking up speed, not at the other end where they are slowing down into the turn,” he said.

“At the very least the road should be re-surveyed.”  

* ROAD Safety Week, organised by the charity Brake, runs from today to Sunday 20 November. For more details, visit www.brake.org.uk.