Bracknell Residents Demand Safer Roads Now!

Motorists should accept a 45 second delay to make their children safer, according to petitioners in Bracknell.

Road safety campaigners want to cut speeds on Peacock Lane between Jennett’s Park roundabout and the Southern Industrial Area, protecting the communities of Jennett’s Park and Wykery Copse.

Residents say police enforcement is “at a record low” and that slowing down would add only about 45 seconds to commuters’ journeys. They warn it is only a matter of time before there is a fatality either on the developments or Peacock Lane.

Jennett’s Park — built on the former Peacock Farm, Tarman’s Copse and Jennett’s Hill — has streets with bird-themed names such as Barn Owl Drive and Swift Fields. Many drivers find it hard to drop to 20mph when coming off the A329M motorway, where 70mph is permitted, and 20mph limits can be tricky to stick to.

“Many residential roads across Bracknell Forest now have a 20mph speed limit. “It has been proven that the risk of serious injury to a person, particularly a child, is greatly reduced when the speed limit is 20mph rather than 30mph. “In many cases the collision and injury is avoided altogether as the driver normally has a greater chance of stopping. “Jennett’s Park and Wykery Copse are two residential developments in the Borough with a large foot fall that would benefit from such a change in limits. “Whilst some drivers may complain about extra time to their journey this would be about an extra 45 seconds such a change would be of benefit to the Community. “Additionally the Borough are asked to consider a change to the speed limit on Peacock Lane from the roundabout at Doncastle Road through to the roundabout at Sparrowhawk Way – this is currently a 40mph limit. “Over the last 20 or so years the number of homes adjacent to Peacock Lane has increased significantly but at the same time the traffic volume, particularly large heavier vehicles has increased. “Crossing from one side to the other of Peacock Lane has become a dangerous activity with vehicles often travelling in excess of the current limit. “There have been a number of collisions in recent years including vehicles losing control and crashing into fences adjacent to homes bordering the road to collisions at Butler Drive as residents attempt to turn out onto Peacock Lane. “Whilst the increase in commercial and industrial businesses on the adjacent business estates is welcome, the additional traffic is not – a lot of this now includes large lorries that thunder down Peacock lane, causing homes adjacent to the road to rattle – a 30mph limit on this stretch would appear to be more appropriate “Traffic surveys have been carried out but the results are not shared with residents. Police enforcement activity is at a record low. “Peacock Lane is often used as a cut through to avoid Twin Bridges [roundabout] – it is only a matter of time before there is a fatality either on the developments or Peacock Lane if action is not taken soon.”

Bracknell Forest Council has been approached for comment.

Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter