Residents are urgently calling for a safer A39 crossing after several near misses involving pedestrians and speeding vehicles.
The Glastonbury Safe Crossings group seeks action and a safer road from Somerset Council. They are asking for a new crossing near Ranger Road’s junction. The council has responded that they will work with the town to design better crossings if funded.
The group held a public meeting on January 16 where residents shared their road experiences linking to the busy A361 roundabout at Wirral Park. Susannah Clemence, part of the campaign group, said the nearest safe crossing is half a kilometer away and not safe to walk to.
Two people had recent close calls with speeding cars jumping curbs, and a third resident’s garden was hit when a lorry ended up there. Incidents are becoming frequent which cause the group to want official crash data, as they fear someone will be hurt if a car hits a pedestrian or a home.
Millstream residents use an unmarked crossing near a roundabout, as the signal-controlled crossing is a half-mile away near Benedict Street. Bev Coggan, who helped organize the meeting, stated that walking the road with kids is hard and not practical.
Ms. Clemence said kids, older people, and dog walkers cross the road often, leading to many close calls and accidents. She added that without a safe crossing accidents will keep happening, and that the new crossing by Ranger Road helps residents, visitors, and businesses.
Visitors complain about walking conditions, finding the Travelodge and Premier Inn area difficult with heavy traffic and small paths. Walkers are near speeding cars, and fences make cutting across impossible.
They want a light-controlled crossing from Ranger Road to KFC and a path for wheelchairs down the bank, where people walk. Improving roundabout exits to prioritize pedestrians is also a wish of the group. They will lobby councillors to start the project soon.
A past council made a plan for improvements, noting the needs for walking and cycling, including a crossing by Ranger Road and the Wirral Park roundabout for safer passage. Somerset Council wants to help but needs outside funding.
A council spokesperson said they are looking into the worries, having spoken with locals and the town council, and that they will investigate with funds as has been done across Somerset.