Cllr Mark Durham (left) and Priti Patel MP with concerned local resident, Andrew Reid, during her inspection of accident blackspots on Witham Road, Wickham Bishops.
Priti Patel inspects accident blackspots on Witham Road, Wickham Bishops
The Witham MP, Priti Patel, has been inspecting accident blackspots on the Witham Road in Wickham Bishops with local resident, Andrew Reid and local Councillor, Mark Durham. Mr Reid had contacted Priti regarding local concerns about the increasingly heavy traffic on the Witham Road, as well as vehicles speeding, following several recent accidents and near misses.
Priti met with him on Saturday 30th October and invited Cllr Durham to attend, to hear his views on this issue and to inspect the key areas that are causing particular concern. Mr Reid pointed out how much the volume of traffic has increased in recent years and how much faster people are driving on the Witham Road.
Priti said: “The Witham Road is not an ideal route for heavy traffic being very narrow in places, and I can appreciate the concerns residents in Wickham Bishops have with the safety of the area in question. I will be taking up these concerns with Essex County Council and local planners, as well as raising with the police the reports of speeding traffic. It is important these issues are reviewed to see how they can be addressed and that the suggestions proposed by residents are given full consideration.”
Andrew Reid said: “In my opinion, the traffic needs to be encouraged to use a different route and traffic calming measures should be introduced, which Wickham Bishops Parish Council has been lobbying for in recent years. There is a one-way bridge which is also causing considerable hold-ups, not least when motorists get into disputes about who has the right of way. I’m extremely grateful to Priti and Mark for taking the time to come over here to talk to me and to look at the problem first-hand.”