Letter: Accidents Like This Must Not Happen

Published on: 6 Dec, 2022
Updated on: 6 Dec, 2022

Junction of Jenner and Harvey Road, where the incident took place. Google Street View

From: Bob Bromham

Planning Secretary, Holy Trinity Amenity Group (HTAG)

Our group was saddened to read your article of November 28: 69-Year-Old Pedestrian Dies After Collision, about the death of a pedestrian at the Jenner Road / Harvey Road junction. We had expected such accidents to happen here.

HTAG has, for many years, asked for this junction to be made safer for pedestrians. A major problem is that pedestrians crossing Harvey Road, at the location defined by dimpled paving slabs, are not seen by drivers travelling up Jenner Road who are turning right over this “crossing”.

The drivers are understandably totally concerned about traffic travelling towards them up Harvey Road, so they are looking the wrong way to see any pedestrians attempting to cross.

This layout completely ignores the safety of pedestrians; it is also probably in conflict with the recent Highway Code changes that give priority to crossing pedestrians when vehicles are entering or leaving a side road.

The problem is symptomatic of the neglect of pedestrians and of national policies relating to them. The urgent need is for SCC Highways to employ specialist “pedestrian officers” and to replace the withdrawn Guildford Walking Strategy.

Accidents like this must not happen; residents and visitors should no longer be discouraged from walking because of the present shocking state of pedestrian facilities in the town.