Angry mum slams lack of action on road where son was hit (From Bucks Free Press)

Angry mum slams lack of action on road where son was hit

2:40pm Thursday 8th July 2010 in

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A FRUSTRATED mum says it is “ridiculous” that nothing has been done to reduce speed on a road where her son was “nearly killed” a year ago.

School pupil Daniel White was injured in July 2009 and was left too afraid to cross Lower Road.

His mum Claire White, of Gainsborough, Cookham, is angry road bosses have not found a solution after residents called for changes at a public meeting last year.

Although the youngster suffered head injuries and a series of cuts and bruises on his legs it could have been far worse, Mrs White said.

Another schoolchild was hurt in an accident in October.

About 50 villagers gave highways officers their views at a heated meeting in November.

A speed survey was carried out and a second public meeting has now been called for July 26.

Mrs White, a graphic designer, said: “We haven't had any promises fulfilled. It was a year ago today that he was hit by a car and it seems ridiculous.

“Hopefully we can get even more people into this meeting because people will be wanting to know why has nothing been done so far.

“I think it's quite ridiculous when you think someone was nearly killed a year ago. It's all very well having all of these meetings but it's a lot of talk and no doing.”

Mother-of-two Sharon Price, a personal trainer of Burnt Oak, who created a petition, has been involved in discussions with officers at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

She said: “There are lots of options but the biggest problem seems to be financing it.”

These include chicanes, speed bumps and parking restrictions.

But Mrs Price is sceptical about what difference the meeting will make.

“It is yet another delaying tactic. There's clearly a need and desire to slow this road down and people want it to happen,” she said.

Cookham Parish Council clerk Anne Osborne said: “There have been a couple of minor incidents which have brought it to the fore front again.”

Tony Carr, traffic and road safety manager at Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, said it was a long and complicated process and many different issues had been raised at the original meeting last year.

He said before deciding on one course of action it was crucial to listen to as many residents as possible.

“We want to ensure we have the support of the wider community, I think it's important to stress that,” he said.

He said the time scale of implementing a crossing or some form of speed reduction would depend on the kind of scheme and how much it cost.