Residents in Upper Norwood are calling on the council to introduce traffic calming measures at an accident black spot to prevent further fatalities.

There have been three fatal accidents near the junction of Central Hill and South Vale in the past 10 years, with the most recent fatal accident was on July 7, when business management student Hassan Rashid from Streatham, died after coming off his bike.

Police are investigating whether the 25-year-old lost control, but his family said they were told by witnesses he came off after hitting a pothole.

Now the community, backed by Upper Norwood councillor Pat Ryan, is calling on Croydon Council to find a way of slowing down the traffic to stop anyone else becoming a casualty.

Resident Andrew Withers who lives in South Vale said: "It is heartbreaking to see family and friends bring flowers and cards to a spot where yet another person has died.

"I think more traffic calming measures would pretty much guarantee to save at least one life every few years."

Another resident Lou Wakefield said pedestrians walking along Central Hill are also at risk, and that she feared there would be more deaths if the issue was not tackled.

She said: "This is not just about the unfortunate deaths we have had in the road, this is about alerting the authorities that residents fear further fatalities.

"On that bend, the traffic comes straight at you. If the steering wheel slips in their hands, if they decide to take a phone call, if they are distracted in any way, they will hit you. Where will you run if that happens? I think about this every time I walk up the hill when the traffic is thundering down."

James Doyle who lives on Central Hill added: "Speed and the volume of traffic as well as the road design means residents feel increasingly unsafe.

"More than one resident has had a near miss because of the speed and/or bad driving of a motorist, but the council and police will not be aware of these, only the really bad accidents."

Coun Ryan said three deaths and numerous accidents was proof there is a urgent need for suitable traffic calming measures to be put in place.

A spokesman for Croydon Council said: "We expect to receive the police report into the recent incident soon. This will help inform any decision we might make into adding to the existing safety measures, which include a speed camera and a vehicle speed monitor."

 

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