Nearly 200 neighbours have signed a petition pushing for a safer crossing for pedestrians in their estate in Shinfield

Nearly 200 neighbours have signed a petition pushing for a safer crossing for pedestrians in their estate in Shinfield.

Deardon Way is a road where hundreds of residents live, featuring a playground, with people also going there to visit the Honeysuckle Day Nursery St Mary’s graveyard and nearby allotments.

But the road layout of the area has recently changed, as a ‘give way’ rule for drivers leaving from the junction with Bolton Drive has been removed.

Bolton Drive leads into the Shinfield Meadows development by housebuilding consortium the Vistry Group.

Neighbours have since expressed fears that roads in the area are ‘becoming a racetrack’.

Councillor Andrew Gray (Labour, Shinfield) has a petition calling for a pedestrian crossing to be established to make the road safer.

The petition was handed in at the last full meeting of Wokingham Borough Council.

Cllr Gray said: “To date, the petition has accumulated just under 200 signatures and demonstrates considerable support among this new community for a new pedestrian crossing on Deardon Way, which will help young families get to nurseries and schools.

“The road layout here has recently been changed, residents have called it a racetrack as drivers speed down the road, making it increasingly difficult to cross safely.

“This has only got worse with the recent changes to the road layout.

“One parent told me they’ve been sworn at, had car horns blasted at them, and almost rear-ended more than a dozen times while trying to reverse into their own driveway.

“Another has said ‘there urgently needs to be action. Speeding has increased significantly’. And a third: ‘this is now becoming an increasingly dangerous crossing for school kids, nursery goers, and adults.’

“These families were promised a garden village estate with parks, walks, and a slower pace of life compared to the main roads and the motorway that is close by. We have to ensure that’s delivered.”

The petition was handed in on July 31.

Cllr Gray suggested that the pedestrian crossing could be established near the Honeysuckle Day Nursery, and that Yuan Yang, the Labour MP for Earley and Woodley supports the campaign.

The council’s highways team is now expected to consider the request for a crossing.

It is understood that a decision on whether or not to establish the crossing will be made by a highways officer, with the oversight of cllr Adrian Betteridge (Liberal Democrats, Barkham & Arborfield), the executive member for active travel, transport and highways.