'It's an accident waiting to happen' - residents call for urgent action at Purton Road junction

A couple living in North Swindon believe that an accident is waiting to happen if the traffic flow on Purton Road is not controlled.

Kimi Lin, 64, and her partner Steve Watts, 50, want action to be taken to protect residents living on Mustang Road against the constant heavy flow of traffic along Purton Road - which connects to Thamesdown Drive.

Miss Lin and Mr Watts moved into their property on Mustang Road, Moulden View, in 2011, but in recent years - due to the lack of safe crossing passages for both pedestrians and drivers - are growing more concerned that someone could get hurt.

Miss Lin said: "It has become worse through the years. I am deeply concerned that an accident is just going to happen."

The couple moved to Moulden View as they were attracted to the location and size of the estate, however in recent years the construction of housing developments in the surrounding areas – most recently Tadpole Village and Ridgeway Farm - have increased the volume of traffic.

Although there is a curtesy crossing on Purton Road, pedestrians do not have right of way - the nearest traffic lights are only accessible via the grass embankment running alongside the main road. Miss Lin said: “As someone who tends to go for a stroll, and as a cyclist, the path is very uneven and dangerous, because we are very close to the road and oncoming cars are really fast.

“Because the path there is so used the path and the grass is so uneven, so as a cyclist I can feel all these bumps. It’s really nerve racking. Perhaps the relevant authority can put in a proper pavement for people who turn right to walk up to Thamesdown Drive? It’d be much safer that way.”

Miss Lin said that she and her partner are not against the new developments, but they believe more should be done so that the area’s infrastructure can safely support the increase of residents. She says that when leaving the Moulden estate in a vehicle, the couple often have to accelerate really quickly in order to be able to exit the junction onto Purton Road – where the speed limit is currently 40mph.

Miss Lin added: "At first it was a small estate, but there are more and more developments in the area being built - but I don’t mind that. It’s the poor planning of the roads. There are no traffic lights for us to come out, and for us to walk out to the right is pretty bad.

"The traffic is getting heavier, so we have a problem even getting out of the estate. We have to wait for quite a while, unless there’s a really kind driver who stops and lets us come out. Most of the time we have to drive quite recklessly to quickly come out of the estate."

Moulden View falls under the authority of Wiltshire Council and in 2017 an anonymous resident raised concerns over the Purton Road junction on the council's online Area Board, proposing the instalment of a traffic light or small roundabout.

In response to the resident’s post Cllr Jacqui Lay responded: “I am told by Highways that traffic control is not possible on this junction and that traffic wanting to turn right need to turn left and go up to the roundabout to turn around. A no RIGHT turn sign on the exit out of Mustang Way might be a simple solution.”

Swindon Link have contacted Wiltshire Council for a comment and are awaiting a response.