Saturday, September 22, 2007

The Missing Bridge

For some time now, a footbridge over the A12 has been missing since TfL decided to remove it. Local residents want it back and have started a petition:

Roger Evans: Transport for London has taken down a footbridge over the A12 at the junction with North Street in Havering. This has led directly to a lady receiving serious injuries in trying to cross this busy road and concerned residents have launched a campaign to have the bridge replaced.

Can the Mayor assure residents that this footbridge will be replaced before its absence causes any further accidents?

Ken Livingstone: I was very concerned to hear about this accident and the serious injuries received by this lady.

The footbridge referred to was struck by an over height vehicle in 2005. It had to be removed on safety grounds. The footbridge had been in service for many years, and due to changing legislation during this time, cannot be replaced on a like for like basis. To replace it with a bridge to current standards would require land acquisition to accommodate a much larger structure. Additionally, because of the difficulties that footbridges can cause for those with mobility impairments and pushchairs, TfL's preference is to provide a signalised 'at grade' crossing at this location. a design for this is in hand and TfL aim to implement it in the next financial year. In the meantime, pedestrians are able to use an existing signalised crossing to the west of the junction.

I will be presenting the petition to TfL at a meeting in October.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The junction of the A12 and North St is a foul one anyway, and could well do with being replaced by a roundabout with lights - trying to turn right out of Collier Row, or out of North St, or even crossing straight over in either direction is an absolute nightmare.