Councillor launches campaign to improve pedestrian safety at notorious Northampton junction

A motion will be heard at a West Northamptonshire full council meeting next month
Julie Davenport is hoping to implement change at a busy Northampton junction.Julie Davenport is hoping to implement change at a busy Northampton junction.
Julie Davenport is hoping to implement change at a busy Northampton junction.

A Northampton ward councillor has launched a campaign to improve pedestrian safety at a busy junction.

Julie Davenport, who is an independent councillor for the Delapre and Rushmere ward, is campaigning for West Northamptonshire Council to implement new safety measures at the junction that joins Rushmere Road and Billing Road.

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The junction is notoriously difficult to cross as although there are traffic lights in place, there is no pelican crossing or pedestrian controlled crossing.

With Northampton School for Boys close by in Billing Road, the junction is a busy one for pedestrians as well as traffic, but many parents feel unsafe allowing their children to cross the road.

Councillor Davenport said: “I have been told that there have been quite a few near misses where people step out into the road and there is a car coming round the corner.

“It’s very difficult to cross and you don’t know when the next car will be coming.

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Residents are concerned about their children. They’re told children should walk to school, but it’s not safe for children to do that and parents do not feel good about the junction.

“Everyone I speak to around Rushmere mentions this junction. They’re pleased the orange bollards are gone but they all say the junction really needs sorting out.”

Although there have always been concerns around the junction, the issue was brought to Cllr Davenport’s attention once again when she was out speaking to residents last year about the orange cycle bollards that were in place in Rushmere Road to separate the road and the cycle lane.

In a bid to improve pedestrian safety at the junction, a motion has been raised, which will be heard at the full council meeting on July 15 where both the ward councillor and residents affected by the issues will speak.

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Cllr Davenport added: “Hopefully they (the council) will agree to look at ways to make the crossing safer for people to use.

“Residents would like a pedestrian controlled crossing where children and the vulnerable cross, so they can press a button and they can be assured that traffic will have stopped when they step out.

“This would cost around £80,000. They have £54 million for the North-West Relief Road and they could afford to spend all this money on the cycle bollards, but not on improving the safety of the junction.”

To show how many people are affected by the issues at the junction, Cllr Davenport has also launched an online petition for residents to sign, which will be presented to the full council meeting.