Another bollard vs car smash in town centre (From Wimbledon Guardian)
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Another bollard vs car smash in Wimbledon town centre
11:33am Thursday 11th October 2012 in News By Omar Oakes
The scene this morning
Major traffic is expected in Wimbledon town centre this morning after another car flipped over after crashing into a bell bollard.
The Virgin Media van crashed with the bollard, after turning right into Worple Road from Wimbledon Hill Road, at about 11.15am.
Fire crews and police are on the scene, but it is understood the driver did not require emergency treatment.
Sarah Davies, a lettings manager at Haart estate agent, said there is diesel spilling out into the road and there is already a major traffic buildup.
She said: “He had a friend following him in another Virgin Media van, and he helped him climb out after the crash.
“He looks like he’s ok but the driver’s side of the car is badly damaged.
“I am just speechless because this keeps happening and the council always refuse to take action.
"The same thing kept happening about eight or nine times last January and February, during the dark winter afternoons.
“Personally I think the junction is in the wrong place and needs to be moved back down Worple Road.”
The road was closed by Merton police at 11.30am and has caused congestion to Hartfield Road.
The following buses have been diverted: 57, 131, 163, 164 and 219.
When a similar incident happened in September, the Merton Council's cabinet member for environmental sustainability and regeneration, Councillor Andrew Judge, said: "This is a very busy junction which is heavily used by pedestrians.
"The bollard protects them from vehicles. We ask motorists to be extra careful when driving at this junction."
Councillor Suzanne Evans, who represents Hillside ward, said Merton Council needed to launched a full consultation about how to minimise accidents at the junction.
She said: “How many accidents does it take before officers will do something? They are still telling me they’re are not taking action.
“Yes there is an issue of driver error but the council has a responsibility to mitigate that and prevent injury.”
Did you see what happened? Call 020 8722 6335, tweet @WimbledonNews or email Omar at: ooakes@london.newsquest.co.uk.
Comments(20)
shelokay2
says...
12:59pm Thu 11 Oct 12
Tobermory
says...
1:07pm Thu 11 Oct 12
bystander tolworth
says...
1:46pm Thu 11 Oct 12
hesangelgirl
says...
1:52pm Thu 11 Oct 12
i am a driver myself and i have never once come close to hitting that bollard. but i have seen people get very close to it and that is because they are rushing to beat the oncoming traffic. so i say it bad driving by the person
womble_womble
says...
3:01pm Thu 11 Oct 12
stuckinamatchbox
says...
3:16pm Thu 11 Oct 12
As a driver: I don't care what anybody says, this junction is dangerous. When you're coming down the hill to turn right you have an awful lot to keep an eye out for and numerous simultaneous checks in order to take the turn. Often it's gridlocked with the busses turning right out of Worple Road which leads to obstruction of view. All too many times when the golden opportunity has arisen to make the manoeuvre I've had to slam on the brakes because a pedestrian has chosen to ignore the traffic signals.
As a pedestrian: I too have made a quick dash thinking it was clear and didn't have time to wait for the green man. I'd challenge anyone who said they were 100% vigilant at all times.
Yes, the bollard is for safety reasons. But why on earth isn't it a yellow, blue and white lit up or reflective bollard? Why is it just a bell shape on the ground with no luminosity whatsoever? It's very low, at wheel height whereas the lit up ones are up to window level usually. It's also dark grey/black. If this had happened only the once or twice you could put it down to bad luck/driving. This many times though is surely evidence enough for a thorough review. I've seen not one change in between all the other identical incidents.
@Tobermory
You can say that it's done a great job and prevented the van/car from hitting a pedestrian on the footway but I think you're overlooking the point that the van actually could have landed on a pedestrian who may have been taking a chance running across the road.
CllrSuzanneEvans
says...
3:34pm Thu 11 Oct 12
bystander tolworth
says...
4:23pm Thu 11 Oct 12
Hove Ex-Pat
says...
7:02pm Thu 11 Oct 12
Joe 90
says...
7:45pm Thu 11 Oct 12
RichardSwt
says...
9:56pm Thu 11 Oct 12
cutitup wrote:Well yes of course it's driver error and poor driving. But if six or more cars have rolled at at the same junction in the same year something is wrong.
I like blaming the council as much as the next guy, but couldn't all these drivers just not drive into the bollard?
A barrier should stop a car going out of control, by either the driver seeing it in the first place or stopping the car in a controlled manor in a worst case senario (even if the driver is to blame).
Just think about it for a second, a car or van flipping on it's side is out of control and not something you want at a busy pedestrian crossing.
Just imagine for a second it was a larger van that rolled. It could well have gone careering onto the pavement and the consequences of that are something you really wouldn't want to think about.
cl0ud
says...
8:26am Fri 12 Oct 12
I noticed last week that it had been removed, and I do wonder whether that is the cause of this new spate of accidents.
peepingtweo
says...
11:20am Fri 12 Oct 12
stuckinamatchbox
says...
12:35pm Fri 12 Oct 12
Wow... I can only hope that you never end up on the jury of an innocent man. They'd be screwed!
Re-take their driving test? I'm struggling to understand that one. Do you work for Merton Council by any chance? If so, then I'm no longer confused by your comment.
If not, then may I suggest you revisit some basic physics lessons. People like you should be made to take a course on common sense prior to commenting!
peepingtweo
says...
1:00pm Fri 12 Oct 12
stuckinamatchbox wrote:yes re-take their test im not sure how you are struggling to work that out? if you drive on the road properly and turn correctly at junctions you would not hit the bollard? its quite simple to work out
@peepingtweo Wow... I can only hope that you never end up on the jury of an innocent man. They'd be screwed! Re-take their driving test? I'm struggling to understand that one. Do you work for Merton Council by any chance? If so, then I'm no longer confused by your comment. If not, then may I suggest you revisit some basic physics lessons. People like you should be made to take a course on common sense prior to commenting!
stuckinamatchbox
says...
1:19pm Fri 12 Oct 12
Funny you didn't comment on the latter part of my comment either.
There are many many factors to take into account here. Some of us have been debating them in this comments section. People like you making out that 'it's so simple' really really worry me.
Moron.
robmorleyuk
says...
7:41pm Fri 12 Oct 12
shelokay2
says...
10:20am Sat 13 Oct 12
if a car chanced it through a red light there would be outrage.. but pedestrians do this all the time!! the highway code is for every road user.. not just vehicles!
shelokay2
says...
10:25am Sat 13 Oct 12
cutitup says...
12:06pm Thu 11 Oct 12