Residents in Willaston and Wistaston are demanding action to make the busy A534 road safer after a spate of accidents.
Homeowners have joined local councillors in calling for Cheshire East Council to review the speed limit and safety of the route.
Wistaston Ward Councillors Margaret Simon and Jacquie Weatherill raised the issue with Council Leader Cllr Michael Jones and Kevin Melling, head of highways and transport.
In the past few weeks there have been several accidents along the A534 Crewe/Nantwich Road, including damage to property walls (pictured).
Cllr Margaret Simon said: “Jacquie and I are very concerned about the number of accidents, not only reported and recorded but also unreported, which have taken place on Crewe Road in Wistaston and Willaston.
“It is a very busy road, running through a built up residential area.
“It has a speed limit of 40mph and the perception of many residents is that this is often exceeded, in particular, during darkness when many of the incidents occur.
“This review is urgently needed in our ward. Many Crewe Road residents have been in touch with us saying they have had enough and their quality of life is being badly affected.”
Cllr Jacquie Weatherill added: “Margaret and I have always had great concerns for the traffic problems along Crewe Road.
“I am at last delighted that, after our meeting with the officers, they were listened to and will be acted upon.
“I urge our residents to take a very active part in the public consultation that we have been promised.”
Rob Knight, who lives on Crewe Road in Wistaston, said: “My wife and I have been involved in helping with traumatic incidents very close to our home.
“A review of road safety is much needed, there must be ways of making this road less dangerous.”
Helen Daniels, who also lives in Crewe Road, added: “We do need the council to listen, we are very worried about the number of incidents that take place along here.
“I suspect we have had many more accidents than either the council or police know about.
“I hope our local community will take an active part in any consultation the council carries out. That is the only way for the council to get to understand our fears and concerns.”
In rush hour it’s faster to cycle to Crewe station along the Nantwich Road.
There has been more car than cycle accidents, but the speed of cars along the empty parts makes it feel dangerous. There are a few cycle paths, on or off the road, but none of them join up. Some just spit you out into traffic. For example it’s safer to cycle on the road by Broughton avenue as its confusing at the junction. Peacock roundabout is a nightmare, despite trying to improve it.
You’re right Ben. The intention behind the cycle paths is laudable, but the reality is different. A cyclist friend of mine put it well when he said cycle paths just turn a roundabout into eight T-junctions. Their neglected state often makes them dangerous, too. There are many where you have to keep a sharp look-out to avoid evil, spiked brambles or nettles just at eye-level. I know people complain about cyclists ignoring road rules, but we are so vulnerable that bending a few rules just to stay safe seems justified.
The answer to this might not lie in reducing the speed limit. If motorists are already breaking the 40 mph limit, then a 20 or 30 mph limit is likely to broken even more often. Some motorist are so poorly skilled that they should not be on the roads at all. Many is the time when I have seen motorists drive straight through red lights and ignore many basic road signs. There is one banned right turn I know of in Crewe which is ignored by 80-90% of motorists. I also reckon that about 4 in 10 motorists use mobile phones whilst driving. Unless motorists have the good sense to use roads safely, new laws and limits (of which there are already too many anyway) will more likely than not make things worse.