Cemetery approaches pose safety hazard (From Witney Gazette)

Witney cemetery approaches pose safety hazard

10:00am Wednesday 17th October 2012 in Letters

Sir – The recent correspondence and concern over pavements in Witney encourages me to raise another, related issue – the approach and access to the Windrush Cemetery, on Oxford Hill.

The only paved path for pedestrians and mobility scooters is on the opposite side of the road to the cemetery entrance.

Traffic from the bypass and South Leigh approaches it up a hill with a blind summit, outside the 30mph limit and with no warning signs. Once over the top, there is only some 100 yards’ distance to the cemetery access. At 50mph, what chance does a pedestrian or scooter have?

Pedestrians can cross the road to the entrance from the opposite side, but scooters – such as mine – have to go 20 yards further up the hill to use a dropped kerb, charge across to the entrance if the road both ways seems clear – with the driver’s life in his handlebars.

I understand that the Cogges Link Road was to have provided a safe entrance in the Cogges Hill Road area, but this is obviously no longer possible.

I submit that the council should now install a pavement up the hill on the existing grass verge from the traffic lights on the same side as the cemetery entrance as a matter of urgency and safety.

Mervyn Snow, St Mary’s Mead, Witney