Kempton Park Industrial Estate - own access?

12.03.55pm GMT Sat 9th Aug 2008

• MORE than 20 people came to express their concerns to local councillors Suzette Nicholson and Carol Nicholson about increasingly heavy lorry traffic in Percy Road and Oldfield Road Hampton.

The meeting was held in the garden of Janet Langhorne who last year collected 170 signatures on a petition asking for the Kempton Park industrial estate to have its own access road. The petition was presented at a council meeting by Councillor Nicholson. "As a result of this petition the money was found to conduct a feasibility study into building an access road," she told the assembled residents. "Unfortunately, the projected cost was £3 million, mostly purchase costs. The proposed road also needs to avoid a drain and a wild life site. We want to work with the residents to find alternative solutions".

The study collected data which indicated that a new access road was unnecessary and suggested traffic calming and parking measures instead. These were hotly debated at the meeting. "Lorries go much too fast down Oldfield Road," said Janet Langhorne. "They park on the pavement, crack the paving stones, and cause chaos at the junction with Percy Road, where they compete with buses trying to turn in the narrow streets. This is a residential family area and people are afraid for the safety of their children".

Councillor Stratton added, "It is disgraceful that this industrial estate was extended without its own access road. It shows little regard for the safety of the residents. Planning was granted by the previous Conservative administration for 17 new units. Only 7 are occupied so far. Imagine the problem when all 17 are working!" Councillors Nicholson and Stratton listened to and discussed all the residents' ideas and assembled a list of agreed suggestions to improve the situation, which they promised to explore with officers and with the cabinet member for traffic, transport and planning.