New road safety measures for town

10:22am Friday 25th July 2008

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LEDBURY’s latest zebra crossing will be up and running in New Street within two weeks.

And other road safety measures are to be installed in the road, following concerns over selfish parking.

Work commenced on Monday, July 21 and the crossing, including a Belisha beacon, will be installed across the stretch of road between Harling Court residential home and Somerfield supermarket.

Double yellow lines will be painted in stretches along New Street, to prevent parking on both sides of the street and improve visibility for motorists on the approach to the crossing.

Some hedgerows will also be trimmed back, to improve visibility.

Herefordshire councillor for Ledbury, Peter Watts said: “Something has been resolved at last in Ledbury for the benefit of the community.

“It’s been a long haul, but we’ve got there.”

He added: “I welcome the crossing. which will doubtless be of particular benefit for the residents of Harling Court.”

The elderly residents of Harling Court themselves have played a key role in getting the useful crossing installed.

Several years ago, with the backing of Ledbury Town Councillor Tony Bradford, they put together a petition which they sent to Herefordshire Council, asking for the crossing.

Herefordshire Council finally submitted detailed plans in February The crossing will not be a push button crossing with traffic lights, because design must limit noise nuisance for local residents, especially at night.

Double yellow lines will also be painted at the junction of New Street and Woodleigh Road.

This follows concerns from local residents that parking off and near that junction is obscuring views at the exit.

in an approach to the council in April, New Street resident Liz Wreford called the junction “an accident waiting to happen.”