A letter urging ‘immediate safety measures’ be implemented on a busy road in Northwood, as a ‘matter of urgency’, has been sent to the Isle of Wight Council.
Northwood Parish Council has written to County Hall leader Phil Jordan on behalf of Pallance Road’s residents and users with requests including a reduced speed limit, better safety signage and installed speed indicators.
The open letter, signed by chair of the parish council Councillor John Pullen and dated 3rd December, said Cllr Jordan’s response to a July 2023 public meeting highlighting residents’ safety concerns was ‘completely unacceptable’.
Concerns included speeding vehicles, oversized prohibited lorries, dangerous incidents and near misses involving young children.
One resident reportedly had her car door hit by a passing vehicle while she was putting her children into a car.
According to the letter, Cllr Jordan’s response centred on the prioritisation of the A3056 road in the east of the Island and certain staff shortages including the transport programme manager, local transport planner, project manager and other traffic personnel vacancies.
The letter said:
“Forward planning should have resolved these issues before they had arisen.
Article continues below this advertisement “Although budget constraints can be a hard barrier to cross in the current financial climate, the safety of all residents, including children, is paramount at all times.
“Measures must be put in place immediately to resolve the obvious dangers brought to your attention and that of your highway colleagues.”
Northwood Parish Council also noted a number of statistics relating to Pallance Road and the disquiet among users and residents.
An official traffic survey recorded more than 21,000 vehicles driving on the minor residential road over a 6-and-a-half-day period in July 2023. Of the 21,000 recorded, more than 4,000 broke the road’s 30-mile-per-hour speed limit with some moving at over 60 miles per hour.
An October 2021 Northwood Parish Council questionnaire found 73% of residents and users of the road did not feel safe as a pedestrian.
As part of its objecting comment to a proposed 14-house development off Pallance Road, the parish council said safety measures mentioned in the letter to Cllr Jordan should be included in a legally binding agreement with the developer if the proposal goes ahead.
Cllr Jordan has been approached for comment.
Just install speed humps, that will solve the problem
once and for all.
Most roads have that as nomal ..good ol island roads..down by the pub so many cars parked on road can hardly get by ..ill expect that’s where they will put a speed restriction..