My efforts to introduce a 50mph speed limit on a notorious three-mile section of the Crooked Mile, Waltham Abbey, has resulted in a Road Safety Parliamentarian of the Month award from road safety charity Brake and Direct Line.
I started my campaign for a lower speed limit and other road safety measures, such as improved signage and better road-markings, in November 2011 following a meeting with constituent Mrs Hurst.
Her grandson, Leonard Hurst, 27, along with his girlfriend, Natalie Wiggins, 20, were killed in a head-on collision on the Crooked Mile on February 26 last year and she wanted to take action to prevent more deaths. I was also contacted by former Harlow Councillor Lee Dangerfield about the number of accidents that occur.
Last year there were 11 crashes on the notorious stretch of road.
Last December I joined forces with local councillors Richard Bassett and Yolanda Knight who supported his calls.
I continuously contacted Tracey Chapman, the councillor responsible for highways at Essex County Council, to urge her to improve safety on Crooked Mile and contacted police to ask them to ensure that road users were not driving at an excessive speed.
On February 6 this year, after a further three-vehicle crash involving four people earlier in the month, I launched an online petition calling on Essex County Council to introduce a lower speed limit and other road safety measures such as improved signage and better road-markings on Crooked Mile.
Some 350 local residents got behind the campaign and the council responded by agreeing to lower the speed limit on a three-mile stretch of the road to 50mph and make additional improvements to signage and road markings.
It is vital the new limit is rigorously enforced and I will continue to monitor the situation.
Residents can continue to add their name to the petition to show their support for safety improvements on Crooked Mile.
I am very grateful to Brake for receiving this award. This has been a long campaign to improve road safety at the Crooked Mile. There have been too many incidents on too many occasions and something needs to be done.
I accept this award on behalf of all the road users of the Crooked Mile and for my constituents who have suffered because of the lack of road safety in the area.
Ellen Booth, Brake senior campaigns officer, said:
“The Crooked Mile is a deadly stretch of road with a shocking casualty record so it’s excellent news that the council has decided to act following the hard work of MP Robert Halfon alongside Mrs Hurst, local residents and councillors.
“It’s vital that the situation is closely monitored to ensure that further measures aren’t needed to prevent crashes and that drivers are reducing speed appropriately. Brake also urges all local drivers to pledge to drive within speed limits at all times to reduce needless and horrifying crashes and casualties.”
You can read more HERE.
No comments:
Post a Comment