Declares that, following a tragic accident in which a Hounslow father, Terence Gillard, lost his life, the safety of the junction at the intersection of Jersey and Great West Road must be improved, notes that this junction is unsafe for pedestrians and more safety measures must be introduced as soon as possible.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge Transport for London and Hounslow Council to review the safety of crossing at this junction to avoid further loss of life.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Seema Malhotra, Official Report, 29 March 2023; Vol. 730, c. 1111 .]
[P002819]
Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Richard Holden):
I am sorry to hear of the death of Mr Gillard and extend my sympathies to his family. This must be a very difficult time for them, and there is little anyone can say to provide comfort.
Most road junctions, including this one are designed and operated by local councils, in this case Hounslow Borough Council. They have a duty under section 122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to “secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of vehicular and other traffic (including pedestrians)”. The Department provides good practice guidance in Chapter 6 of the Traffic Signs Manual, which stresses the importance of providing pedestrian facilities as part of any design. This is available on the Department’s website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signs-manual.
Local councils make their own decisions about the design of the streets under their care. I am sure both Hounslow Borough Council and Transport for London will want to look closely at this sad case, to see whether further actions are needed by them at this site.