Crossing scheme announced to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists visiting train station
A toucan crossing will be installed on George Westwood Way in Beccles to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists accessing the train station and common. Picture: Nick Butcher. - Credit: Nick Butcher
Work is set to start on a new crossing in Beccles providing pedestrians and cyclists with a safe passage to the train station and common.
The design for the new toucan crossing which will be installed on George Westwood Way in Beccles. Picture: Suffolk County Council. - Credit: Archant
The toucan crossing will be installed on George Westwood Way, a few metres away from the existing mini roundabout at the bottom of Station Road, with work due to start in the spring.
The crossing has long been campaigned for by councillors and residents who fear it is an accident waiting to happen, with pedestrians and cyclists currently faced with a constant stream of busy traffic as they attempt to cross the road.
The crossing will include traffic lights and is being funded through Section 106 developer contribution money put aside when the Tesco supermarket was built as well as through Suffolk County Council.
Elfrede Brambley-Crawshaw, town councillor and Suffolk county councillor for Beccles, said: “The funding has been there since the Tesco development so people have been calling for a crossing there for about 10 years.
A toucan crossing will be installed on George Westwood Way in Beccles to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists accessing the train station and common. Picture: Nick Butcher. - Credit: Nick Butcher
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“It is an incredibly dangerous area to cross to reach the station and common and considering we are trying to get as many people to use the train as we can at the moment there’s the potential for an accident.
“There are lots of sporting facilities at the common that people are trying to access too and with the new skate park coming soon the area is getting more and more popular.
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“I’m really pleased to see work starting and I hope that work to the train station forecourt will follow soon.”
The project will also see a shared footway created and a new cycle lane.
A toucan crossing will be installed on George Westwood Way in Beccles to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists accessing the train station and common. Picture: Nick Butcher. - Credit: Nick Butcher
Reacting to the news on Facebook, residents were pleased to hear improvements were being made but said there is still work to be done to improve safety in that area.
One said: “A crossing is desperately needed as it’s awful to cross but the junction is terrible for cars with limited vision coming out of the station and Station Road.”
A spokesman for Suffolk County Council said: “The crossing will provide a safe and convenient area for cyclists and pedestrians to cross.
“It will improve links between the train station and the town centre for those not travelling by car and we expect this scheme, which includes the remarking of the mini roundabout, will take place this spring.”
