Councillors join forces to tackle road safety concerns on main road through Northampton park

A busy Northampton road that runs through a popular park is currently the subject of increasing road safety concerns.

Park Avenue South, between Wellingborough Road and Billing Road, splits Abington Park and is a busy main road, with a nursery and school nearby.

Many residents have been in touch with the newly elected councillors for Abington and Phippsville - Zoe Smith, Walter Tarasiewicz and Bob Purser - to raise their concerns about the speed limit and the lack of a pedestrian crossing at the junction with Abington Park Crescent and King Edward Road.

The trio of Labour councillors are now working together to highlight the concerns to West Northamptonshire Council and suggest ways in which road safety can be improved in their ward.

In a joint statement the councillors said: “We are calling for a review of road safety along the length of Park Avenue South.

“The junction with Abington Park Crescent and King Edward Road is a regular site of accidents and should either be traffic light controlled or have a mini-roundabout.

“Families with prams taking children to a local nursery, crossing at the junction with the Billing Road face dangers as there is no indication when it is safe to cross.

“There should also be a 20 mph speed limit between the junction of the Wellingborough Road and Billing Road to reduce the speed of traffic as the road passes through Abington Park.

“With families putting buggies into their cars, cyclists needing to watch for opening car doors and park users and those visiting Abington Church crossing the road, 30mph is just too fast.

“We have raised this with the new West Northamptonshire Council.”

Councillor Bob Purser added: "Residents have been raising concerns for a little while and I know the previous councillor for the area - Danielle Stone - had raised these concerns.

"Residents can see what is going on and they are really concerned.

"And it's not just the junction that's a problem, it's the whole stretch of road. It really needs to be a 20mph road.

"As new councillors, it's one of the things we can do and as it's a new council it's a good time to say 'lets have a look at it'.

"It needs to be part of a programme of work. It needs thinking through properly, it needs careful thought and a proper survey."

Similarly, at the end of Park Avenue South, which crosses into a different political ward, another councillor has launched a campaign to improve pedestrian safety at a busy and notorious junction.

Councillor Julie Davenport, for Delapre and Rushmere, has started a petition about the dangerous junction where Billing Road meets Rushmere Road and will bring a motion about the need for improved safety before a West Northamptonshire full council meeting next month.