Walking Safely in the High Street

Have you ever walked along Church Street and wondered why pedestrians should give way to traffic coming out of 10 Church Street next to the Golden Place?             Well of course you shouldn’t but the way the footway is laid out makes you think you had better stop for traffic.  This is poor design and Weybridge is full of them.             Number 44 Church is another example where people – notice the blind persons’ pavement treatment – are expected to stop for next to no traffic.              The Rectory entrance on the other side is much better.  It it tells drivers that they should give way to pedestrians.             The entrance to Ship Yard, above is priority goes the wrong way. In London this problem has been recognized.  A study was undertaken at many locations to see whether pedestrians or drivers should be given priority.   It was decided on a cautious approach on the basis that if three times as many pedestrians crossed a minor street than vehicles entered into it then the junction would be modified to give pedestrians priority.             Before, above – after, below.             Fears that drivers would present a danger were unfounded. If any change is made to Weybridge town centre these modifications would be a useful improvement to our town.  We could always go the whole hog. Other town locations shown below           Walking to Morrisons across Springfield Lane             Another junction that could be a crossover.           The entrance to the Ship Hotel should be converted into a crossover at the next opportunity.           The entrance to an office car park is another case of very low volume car traffic again high volume pedestrian traffic.             Although more cars use the hospital entrance I think people crossing would come out top.           Minorca Road could be an opportunity too but we would have to look at the figures.  The examples below would need to be checked for traffic figures but are in contention.           Churchfields Road           Elmgrove Road           Baker Street.  Some are saying that this end of Baker Street should be pedestrianized in any case.