Page 8 - link magazine

8 TOOTHILL
Mayor to receive road crossing petition on Ashley's birthday

Ashley Johnson from Longthorpe Close, Toothill would have turned thirteen on 19 December. Tragically he was knocked
down on Whitehill Way on 28 September and died later in the intensive care unit at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital.

Instead of celebrating Ashley's Way dual carriageway atBarnfield hopes that the committee will agree ple and we must make it safer for
birthday, his mother Diane will be Road. However, all four of the to to make Whitehill Way safe for them.
presenting a petition to Thames- accidents on Whitehill Way in the pedestrians. If it does, the earliest "I was prepared to sit down in
down Council calling for the road last six years have involved chil- work could start would be in April the road to protest, but the coun-
to be made safe for pedestrians. dren. Ashley Johnson has been the or May. In the short term a 40mph cillors are open minded and sup-
Over 3,000 people have signed it only fatality. speed limit is being imposed on portive. I am glad we're working
and Diane is hoping to double this Conn Fanning explained that the major roads in West Swindon. together."
number by the time she hands in petition will be passed from the Diane Johnson said she was She is writing to Virgin Cinemas
the petition. full council meeting to the Public pleased that the problem was be- boss Richard Branson calling for a
Last month's Link magazine Works and Services Committee ing considered seriously. "Shaw financial contribution to the cost
described the disatisfacfion with towards the end of January. He Ridge draws so many young peo- of building a pelican crossing.
the design of the Shaw Ridge Lei-
sure Park even before it was built Cash for intensive care unit
because of the poor pedestrian ac- Ashley Johnson's friends from Ridge-
cess. way School held a sponsored trampo-
Diane Johnson met Toothill line bounce at the Link Centre on 16
councillors Terry Winter and November in aid of the John Radcliffe
Maurice Fanning and Julia Drown, Hospital intensive care unit where he
Labour's prospective parliamen- was treated after the accident. Over
tary candidate on 18 November to £400 was collected on the day and at
express her concern for others least another £1,000 has been raised
crossing Whitehill Way on foot.
in sponsorship.
A Thamesdown engineer ex-
plained that traffic access to Shaw Congratulations to Katy Dunn from
Ridge was being closely consid- Westlea and Amanda Jones from
ered, particularly the problem of Chiseldon who each raised £100.
drivers turning right at the park The twelve hour session was super-
exit, rather than driving straight vised by Diane Johnson and trampo-
on and using the roundabout. line coaches Andy Hocking and Vince
A traffic study has shown that Jackson of the Link Centre
Whitehill Way is the second most
dangerous pedestrian crossing in Diane Johnson is pictured in the cen-
Swindon after the Great Western tre with trampolinists and helpers

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