Father fears children could be hurt by speed junkies in Wick
Richard Goss, 28, is the director of Rinkit.com, which operates in Arndale Road.
However, in the past few months he has seen a dramatic increase in the number of motorists travelling ‘well over the speed limit’ in the street.
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Hide AdThe father-of-two, who lives in Arundel, said: “Unless something is done about Arndale Road, someone is going to get killed, it’s as simple as that.”
He said the road was much used by pedestrians – including young children, who ride around on bikes and scooters – and feared if nothing was done to try to curb dangerous drivers that a future catastrophe was just around the corner.
The worried businessman added: “Sitting where I sit is terrifying as I feel it is only a matter of time before I see a child killed.
“I can almost hear the primeval scream of a helpless mother watching from the pavement as her five-year-old disappears under a Ford Focus ST killing them instantly and spreading their lifeless body across the road. . .”
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Hide AdMr Goss said the problems started after the road was resurfaced last year.
He claimed because the surface had been greatly improved, it had opened up the gates for drivers to accelerate along it.
“It’s like working at Brands Hatch,” he said. “All types of vehicle storm up this road, Biffa bin lorries, privately- owned vans and cars.”
Mr Goss felt strongly that some form of traffic-calming was needed to prevent future tragedies from occurring.
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Hide Ad“This road is just so dangerous now, it’s beyond serious,” he told the Gazette.
He has now written to West Sussex County Council, which maintains most of the area’s roads, as well as Arun District Council and Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb, to voice his concerns.
He added: “Being a father-of-two obviously means the risk to children is close to my heart but children are, of course, not the only members of the public at risk.
“People of all ages walk or use mobility scooters up and down this road, almost always needing to cross it at some point. It’s a 30mph limit and people, rightly or wrongly, cross like they are in a 30mph limit – not expecting motorway speeds.”
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Hide AdA West Sussex County Council spokesman said he was not aware the authority was looking into any future speed reduction or traffic- calming measures in the road.
He added in the past few years there had been just one recorded accident, between two vehicles, where only minor injuries were recorded.