Width restriction in Longwood Gardens which became a magnet for car crashes is fixed for good
Cllrs Ashley Kissin and Alan Weinberg had pushed for the metal bollards to be replaced with plastic ones - Credit: Archant
An accident blackspot tamed by temporary plastic bollards has had its future decided.
A width restriction in Longwood Gardens, Clayhall, had become a magnet for car accidents.
As the Recorder reported in January, drivers were injured in two accidents at the junction within two days.
Both cars smashed into the same metal post, adding to what had become a long list of similar accidents at the width restriction.
On Tuesday, councillors sitting on area committee four mulled over a number of proposals to permanently fix what had become an accident blackspot.
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At their meeting in Sinclair House, Woodford Bridge Road, Redbridge, Conservative Cllr Alan Weinberg thanked highways officers for their “quick action” in replacing the metal poles with temporary plastic ones in January.
He said: “It became quite obvious that the main problem seemed to be the actual width restriction itself.
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“All four bollards were replaced. Since then, there has been one minor knock. There was no damage to the vehicle.
“I think that shows that the very quick action taken was the correct thing to do.”
Councillors were faced with a list of options to permanently tackle the width restriction, including replacing the plastic bollards with square metal bollards with a reflective strip.
But that was quickly rejected, with Conservative Cllr Tania Solomon saying the new plastic bollards can be easily seen and are “far superior”.
The idea of installing two sets of speed cushions at either side of the width restriction, plus signs and road markings – at a cost of £13,641 – was also rejected because of the proximity of houses.
Instead, councillors unanimously backed keeping the plastic bollards and paying for additional “advanced warning signs”, at a cost of £5,302.
Three new signs and two replacement signs will now be installed, warning motorists of the approaching width restriction at distances of 300 and 600 yards.
The width restriction itself is close to the junction of Abbotswood Gardens.
Cllr Weinberg said: “It [the plastic bollards] has undoubtedly prevented severe injury and damage to vehicles.”
