I was deeply saddened to learn that a young student attending Royal Holloway College near Egham was killed on the A30 Egham Hill earlier this month. She was a pedestrian and was struck by a car. It is a road I know well with multiple central reservations and pavements often busy with young students making their way to and from Egham. I know, and say, nothing of the circumstances of the accident but I have an opinion that traffic often passes along this road too fast. The road is subject to a 40 mph limit which is often exceeded with apparent impunity. For the duration of the Olympics this road will be subject to a 30 mph limit. Assuming that the 30 mph limit is imposed and enforced this summer, I very much hope that consideration will be given to maintaining and enforcing it on a permanent basis. After all the life of any one of us is equally valuable whether we are an Olympic athlete or official or an ordinary citizen.
It seems to me that this a classic example of where effective measures to protect vulnerable road users must include regulating motor traffic and not merely providing cycling infrastructure. The 'cycling infrastructure' in this case is an invitation to share the pavement with the many pedestrians who use this road. It is not easy for a cyclist to take the lane past the traffic islands because it is a pretty steady climb and the speed differential between the cyclist and the approaching motorist is correspondingly high. We need safer speed limits more rigorously enforced.
Thankfully, once the clocks go forward later this month I will be using the alternative route through Windsor Park. Unhappily Her Majesty does not allow me through there after dusk.
Here are a couple of my recent expereinces on this stretch of road:
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Biking in that road is definitely one big challenge. Bike lanes should be put in that area to ensure the safety of the bikers. They should also add more street lights so that motorists can clearly see if there's a pedestrian or a biker on the road.
ReplyDeleteThere is actually a cycle lane heading down hill and not uphill, which is a striking illustration of how poorly those who design our roads understand cycling. It almost goes without saying that the downhill cycle lane is far narrower than the required design standard.
DeleteAs an ex-student of Royal Holloway I am saddened, but not surprised, to hear about this. I attended many years ago, but even then the volume and speed of passing traffic was quite often intimidating at the very least.
ReplyDeleteI heartily agree that if the speed restriction is to be imposed for the Olympics then it should be done for the safety of all road users on a permanent basis.
I am a current student at Royal Holloway and I knew Kayleigh Sugar, the girl who died, very well. The crossing where she died doesn’t even have a pedestrian crossing light on it.... and the lights for the cars have shields to protect them from the sun so as a pedestrian you cannot see them. I cross the A30 around 4 times a day along with several other thousand students and it’s a dreadful road for pedestrians and other road users. Why should it be a 30 for the Olympics and a 40 when the students come back? A few days ago I was nearly hit by a car as I walked along the pavement on the A30. I am currently trying to get the speed limit changed back to a 30 as I am always seeing the A30 closed because of accidents with students, cars and motorbikes. My friends even witnessed the most recent one that happened by middle hill, where the motorcyclist flew towards their car as they drove on the opposite side of the road. I am desperate to get the speed limit changed and I am in the process of writing letters. Although this has been a problem for years and the road is well known to the police (as a black route?) no one wants to do anything about it because we are just university students, even are SU couldn’t do anything. This was the only page I could find online that talks about how dangerous this road truly is. Kayleigh was truly the nicest person you would meet she was always smiling, it makes me feel sick that they would make it a 30 for the Olympics and then change it back :(
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