10 July - Listening to nobody. Reaping the rewards
When
Bexley council took the decision to make this section of
Abbey Road,
Belvedere too narrow for two buses to pass each other they admitted that the
road had not previously been a safety hazard. Expert opinion said what they were
doing was a recipe for head on collisions, and so it has proved. It is hard to
see what happened in yesterday’s collision but there is glass and bits of car
strewn over around 40 yards of road and pavement. It would appear that a vehicle
mounted the kerb either before or after hitting another. The blue Polo was
possibly rammed at very high speed for it is damaged at both ends and is quite a
long way from the likely point of impact, though the camera lens makes it looks
further than it is, the actual distance is approximately 25 yards.
Bexley council said that making the road dangerously narrow would slow traffic.
A government funded consultant of my acquaintance said Bexley’s
design would have no effect on traffic speeds but the reduction in recovery
space would cause accidents. Bexley’s plan has been an abject failure. It was
approved by councillor Craske.