Following the accident at the Bath Road junction in Peasedown St John during November, a public meeting has been organised this Thursday by Parish Councillors, Lesley Mansell and Jonathan Rich, with the B&NES Cabinet Member for Transport, Cllr Anthony Clarke and Cllr Tim Warren, Leader of B&NES Council, originally due to attend. Cllrs Mansell and Rich were also Labour candidates in this year’s election for the Peasedown St John Ward seats.
However, Peasedown St John’s current Ward Councillors, Sarah Bevan and Karen Walker (both Independent) have been unable to attend, due to the short notice of the meeting and so B&NES’
Conservative Councillors have also announced they will not be present. A spokesperson for the party said this week: “We were under the impression that this would be a site visit, to go and look at the junction, not a public meeting. The two elected representatives should be there if this is the case and we should follow a proper process.”
Cllrs Mansell and Rich have decided to go ahead with the meeting as planned at Peasedown St John Primary School, starting at 5.30 p.m. this Thursday, 10th December. Cllr Mansell said: “We are furious about this situation as residents will be. B&NES agreed to carry out a feasibility study on the junction in February this year, when over a thousand residents signed a petition for action following another serious accident there in January.
“Over the summer, there have been further collisions and last month, a young man was taken to hospital with broken bones and the A367 was closed for some time.
Despite years of campaigning, Peasedown St John residents are still waiting for something to happen as no action has been taken at the junction of the A367 and the Bath Road.”
Cllr Jonathan Rich added: “We understand money was allocated for highways improvements as detailed in the Wellow Lane Section 106 agreement, but there is no sign of the feasibility study, there are promises about funding, which is very welcome, but no changes have been made.”
Meanwhile, Peasedown St John Parish Council has received a notice from B&NES to say that speed tables are to be installed in Orchard Way at a cost of £5,000. The two Parish Councillors say this is highly controversial, as no serious accidents have been recorded here. Consultation is due to start in January.
Peasedown St John Councillors have been campaigning for something to be done at this junction for many years, to no avail. The feasibility study alone is set to cost around £30,000, with Cllr Walker recently asking B&NES for £250,000 to be put aside in February’s impending Budget for improvements. Cllrs Mansell and Rich have been campaigning for B&NES Highways to install signs giving the number of reported accidents over the last few years to encourage drivers to take extra care, whilst a permanent solution is found. For details on the meeting, contact Cllr Mansell on: 07980 695117 or Cllr Rich: 07711 515462.