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Widower calls for 40mph limit (From Oxford Mail)
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Widower calls for 40mph limit
7:40pm Sunday 24th January 2010
A GRIEVING husband has launched a petition to cut the speed limit on a west Oxfordshire road where his wife became the eighth person to die in a decade.
Paul Bennett’s wife Linda died in a crash last November on the 60mph B4022 near Charlbury, just three days before her 54th birthday.
He is now calling for the county council to introduce a 40mph limit between Charlbury and Witney, following two deaths in the past 12 months.
The council is proposing a 50mph speed limit for the road as part of a county-wide review of speed limits. An existing 40mph limit at Finstock would be retained.
But Mr Bennett believes aa lower limit is justified for the entire road, after the council revealed there had been 147 accidents on it in the past 10 years. As well as the eight deaths, 36 people suffered serious injuries and 103 were slightly injured in the incidents.
He said: “It should be 40mph along the whole road. This is a very tricky road, with so many bends, twists and turns and adverse cambers.
“I think it’s really important to change the limit here.
“People only think speed is a factor in road deaths if someone is breaking the speed limit but what if the limit is wrong?
“Speed can also be an issue if someone is driving within the limit.
“Reducing this speed limit isn’t an infringement of people’s freedom.
“If it was, I would stand next to people to fight it.
“This is just common sense. I don’t want someone else’s wife or dad or son to die.
“I lost a dear, dear soul mate who will never be replaced.
“A tragic accident will happen again on this road if we do not do something about it.”
Motorcyclist Robert Smith, 46, from Hailey, died in April last year, when his motorcycle and an Audi A4 collided near the Crawley turn on the road, just half-a-mile from his home.
Mr Bennett is being backed in his campaign by Hailey Parish Council, which has received 20 emails from people in support of a 40mph limit, after calling for action in the Oxford Mail last month.
However the parish council would also like a speed warning signs and carriageway markings to help reduce speeds.
Andy Smith, vice-chairman of the parish council and the chairman of Witney’s Neighbourhood Action Group, said: “It’s a dangerous road, but we know changing the speed limit isn’t going to solve everything.
“However, it’s a step we should be taking to try to make it safer. I’m sure the petition will get a lot of signatures.”
Oxfordshire County Council spokesman Marcus Mabberley said: “We’re always happy to consider views on the speed limit review proposals.”
Mr Bennett will present his petition and address councillors at a meeting where they will be reviewing more than 80 speed limits in Oxfordshire at County Hall, in New Road, Oxford, on February 11.
Anyone who wants to write to support the petition should email their names, addresses and comments about the road to haileypc@live.co.uk
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Your Say YourOxford
Petre Mcvey, Barton says...
12:55pm Mon 25 Jan 10
wallingford1 wrote:Unfortunately Wally. People like Paul are forming a very vocal minority, (who seem to be indulged, unlike the sane majority) and if things carry on as they are, then we will be doing 30mph on the M40mph, 20 on the A34, and 10mph everywhere else, except outside their houses where we will be down to 5mph. Never Happen?. Think again. 10 years ago who would have thought that it would be illegal to smoke in a pub. (well most anyway)
Aren't knee jerk reactions wonderful? If you actually look at the facts about accidents on Oxfordshires roads over the last few years you'd find they're not actually related to speed at all. Dangerous driving, using the mobile phone or texting while driving, drink driving, under the influence of drugs, not wearing their seatbelts, poorly maintained bikes and cars, the list is endless. And people who speed above 60 will speed above 40, it makes no difference at all, other than annoy the insurance paying tea-total speed limit following road tax paying Joe Public who thankfully make up 99% of road users.
kareng28, Carterton says...
1:12pm Mon 25 Jan 10
kareng28, Carterton says...
1:13pm Mon 25 Jan 10
wallingford1, wallingford says...
1:43pm Mon 25 Jan 10
wallingford1, wallingford says...
1:52pm Mon 25 Jan 10
20 emails does not a majority make. Lets hope things stay as they are. Lowering the speed limit on the road from Abingdon to Berinsfield just made it more dangerous because people try to overtake more. It simply doesnt work.
Souchy, Brighton says...
2:23pm Mon 25 Jan 10
Petre Mcvey, Barton says...
3:31pm Mon 25 Jan 10
the chalkster, Witney says...
5:24pm Mon 25 Jan 10
OxfordResident, Oxford says...
9:17pm Mon 25 Jan 10
kareng28 wrote:So, given "lots of surface water" they were driving at inappropriate speed for the prevailing conditions. A speed limit would not have helped, only common sense driving.
I believe Wallingford1 should find out the facts before passing judgment. In this case, neither driver was under the influence of anything and speed, together with lots of surface water, were the main reasons for this tragic accident. I think you should have more compassion for those who have lost loved one in circumstances completely unconnected to drink, drugs, failure to wear seatbelts etc. One should make assumptions without knowing the facts!
Bogota Bob, Fish Street says...
9:51pm Mon 25 Jan 10
the chalkster wrote:Two vehicles coming together at 40mph come together with a closing speed of 80mph, sorry but people don't come out of accidents like that, the forces and impacts are still massive and more than the body can take.
I would like to lend my support to Mr Bennet's campaign. I live on the B4022, and it is heartbreaking to hear the emergency service vehicle's sirens screaming up the road towards Hailey. Unfortunately this happens all too frequently. I also have had to turn out of the driveway of the Bird in the Hand, late at night, when collecting my daughter when she worked there, a daunting prospect. Despite a sign warning of a concealed entrance, cars rarely slow down. I fully support a 40mph speed limit, if it saves one life.
Better education would go a long way, I was out the other day near Burford and following a car which made several impatient overtaking moves without being able to see clearly - it only takes one innocent person coming the other way to cause a tragedy.
yentiw, says...
10:28pm Mon 25 Jan 10
We now have a mass of our roadwork full of potholes, but apparently the £££ is not there to repair them, because there is no money to be recouped, only spent.
We need some serious prioritising.
And serious people to take charge of it who don't make up statistics to show their side. Here's a thought for you: you reverse out of your drive without looking onto a main road. Your car collides with an innocent driver who is killed in the impact. Before he dies he is found to be over the limit. THAT gets listed as a drink-drive accident yet it was caused by the sober person.
LadyPenelope, West Oxon says...
8:37am Tue 26 Jan 10
At 40mph, accidents will still happen.
phantom flan flinger, tiswas says...
8:55am Tue 26 Jan 10
Paul Bennett is launching a petition calling for a 40mph speed limit on the B4022 after the death of his wife Linda
Linda Bennett
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wallingford1, wallingford says...
9:21am Mon 25 Jan 10
If you actually look at the facts about accidents on Oxfordshires roads over the last few years you'd find they're not actually related to speed at all.
Dangerous driving, using the mobile phone or texting while driving, drink driving, under the influence of drugs, not wearing their seatbelts, poorly maintained bikes and cars, the list is endless.
And people who speed above 60 will speed above 40, it makes no difference at all, other than annoy the insurance paying tea-total speed limit following road tax paying Joe Public who thankfully make up 99% of road users.