By John Baron
An Armley councillor has called for an urgent review of a road junction after a woman died on Stanningley Road this morning.
Councillor Lou Cunningham (Green, Armley) has written to the council’s chief executive Tom Riordan and West Yorkshire Police after the pedestrian died and another was seriously injured in an incident which has closed the A647 Stanningley Road in both directions.
An online petition calling for a review has already secured more than 250 signatures in just a matter of hours.
Cllr Cunningham posted on social media: “Devastating news this morning regarding the serious collision on Stanningley Road, resulting in a pedestrian fatality and serious injury to another. RIP and my thoughts are with family and friends of those affected.
“No words will help, but I have written to our local inspector, the head of highways, the leader of Leeds City Council and the chief executive asking yet again for an urgent review of the Cockshott Lane junction on behalf of our community.”
In her letter, Cllr Cunningham added: “Any accident has a devastating effect on our community. Yet another in the area where the community have been actively requesting solutions after witnessing and being exposed to serious collisions and fatalities over the years is even more devastating.
“Please can this be considered as a matter of urgency.”
The incident happened earlier this morning near the former Church of the Venerable Bede on Stanningley Road. A 25-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Since the construction of the single bus lane on Stanningley Road. Green Hill Road is now a rat run for commuters try to avoid Stanningley Road at peak hours. Both roads are now highly dangerous especially Green Hill Road due to the volume of traffic and to the fact that it is not monitored via cameras. Cars travelling at speed in the mornings on green hill road have a major impact on air pollution, noise pollution and cracking to brick walls due to resonance from heavy vehicles. Not to mention the degradation of the road surface on Green Hill Road. This bus route is also causing Armley Town street and neighbouring streets to become congested and grid locked.
Really sad this loss off life
Unfortunately since the bus lane has been put it traffic in the area is horrendous, people are rat running all over, the traffic chaos is causing people to be late for work etc this caused people so speed as they are in a rush, I have wrote to the council about this numerous times and get the same pathetic answers from the transport lot
The traffic on Green Hill Road is horrendous since the bus lane was created. Traffic from Bramley and Henconner lane now use Green Hill Road instead of Stanningley road. I even witness traffic coming off Staningley bypass at Bramley town end then go around the roundabout then turn into Green Hill Road to continue their journey into central Leeds. The crossing on Houghley lane outside the Venerable Bede was filled in yet people still cross there in more danger than before. Both roads are now dangerous and a nuisance to residents with regards to traffic noise and safety. We were assured that these problems would not occur when the council were in the planning phase of this scheme but look how wrong they were.
The A647 used to be a problem for cars crossing from Cockshot Lane. When Traffic lights were installed at the top of Cockshot lane, it was a big improvement. Having said that I have been in an accident caused by cars speeding through red lights, which resulted in my wife taken to hospital by ambulance. Luckily they were okay but my car was written off. There has not been too many accidents that I am aware of for the last 20 or 30+ years. Certainly not fatal ones. What i do think contributes to accidents at that spot from Cockshot lane to the area in front of the Venerable bede, is the frustration of drivers who are forced in to one lane, when bus lanes are clear for 99% of the time ( and same with cycle lanes) You cant stop idiots speeding or just not being aware of pedestrian crossings etc, but having clear roads with a good view of the roads ahead will help. SOme speed up on the road from Leeds to Pudsey, as the dual carriageway opens up more and they know they will be on the by-pass, even though its still 40mph. Basically, I am just not happy with the highways dept, who create problems that never existed before.
Since the recent changes I have seen a great number of bad driving issues around this junction…drivers cut up the inside lane, which should be for left turning traffic into Cockshot lane ONLY..they then accelerate at speed to get ahead of legally stationary cars in the correct lane.
In most situations it is drivers taking chances for whatever reason that is the root cause