Rat-run rage.

I don’t know about the rest of the residents in this rat-run of a street but l have had enough!

My partner and l have lived on a narrow and dangerous road for eight years now and have watched the volume of traffic grow.

It’s a cut-through for people wanting to avoid the dreadfully-congested London Road and head up over Camden. It is the start of a route that brings misery to hundreds of others who live on streets not constructed to take such volume.

When we first moved in we were told by neighbours of the fight that had already been going on for years to try and get a one-way system – or some sort of speed reduction – in place.

In fact, one neighbour told us how bollards had only been put in place alongside the pavement after she and her child in a push chair had to jump into a hedge to avoid a car mounting the pavement.

We daily see angry drivers confronting each other mid-way through our road. Traffic – coming either up the road or down it – won’t give way so there is often an angry stand off.

My partner’s refusal to let cars use our driveway as a turning point resulted in him getting an aerosol can of deodorant thrown at him from a car window. Great example from a driver who had children on the back seat of his BMW.

People have grown so confrontational and violent these days.

We who live in this street are suffering.

At the top end of our road is a crossroads which empties cars from three directions into our narrow route-way.

Cars park right up to the edge of our junction so destroying sight-lines and increasing the danger. B&NES promised white lines and nothing has happened.

Our road is shabby and pockmarked. It is an irony that a cut-de-sac on the Gloucester Road is due to be resurfaced and leads no-where!

We want action now. We want some system to keep vehicles from parking up to the top junction and some speed limiting system on our road at top and bottom.

Introducing a one-way system with Dead Mill Lane might be helpful but we don’t want a system that speeds up the cars.

B&NES must do more to cut the number of cars going through the city anyway. Be brave and take a lead.

The Lambridge ward does not contain big roads yet has to funnel high volumes. It has dreadful pavements for pedestrians that have not seen a resurfacing for years.

Next May we elect new councillors. I will wait to see what action is taken before deciding where my vote goes .

Also, B&NES Transport Department, come out and see what is happening to your road signs at the entrance to Bailbrook Lane. Almost obliterated by ivy!

And take a look at the damage a vehicle has caused to a bollard on the crossroads at the entrance to Bailbrook Lane. Someone could have been standing there!

UPDATE:

The ivy engulfing the signs leading into Bailbrook Lane has been cut back.