Crash at Stockbridge lights leaves mother and daughter injured

A crash at the A27 Stockbridge Roundabout left a woman badly bruised and needing hospital treatment.
The pedestrian lights are at all points of the roundabout while the footbridge is being replaced.ks180014-1The pedestrian lights are at all points of the roundabout while the footbridge is being replaced.ks180014-1
The pedestrian lights are at all points of the roundabout while the footbridge is being replaced.ks180014-1

Alex Tayler, 36, from Birdham was a passenger when her car on the roundabout was in collision with another car joining from the A27 westbound on Friday afternoon.

She was taken to St Richard’s Hospital and suffered serious bruising to her left side and muscle damage to her left shoulder.

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Her mother, Sarah Holness, was driving and has mild whiplash and back ache as a result.

The Chichester Observer front page on Thursday, January 18, urging Highways to actThe Chichester Observer front page on Thursday, January 18, urging Highways to act
The Chichester Observer front page on Thursday, January 18, urging Highways to act

Just the day before the Chichester Observer front page urged Highways England to fix its dangerous lights, after scores of people contacted us to say they had nearly crashed or been hit at the busy junction since a temporary pedestrian crossing was installed.

Mrs Holness, from Kingsham Road, said: “We were coming from Stockbridge (north), the lights turned green and we went.

“We were going back to Birdham and as we came round he hit us from the left side.

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“My daughter actually said ‘mum he’s going to hit us’ and the next thing, bang and we were shoved up the road.

“I got out the car and said to the man ‘you’ve just hit my car, you’ve hurt my daughter’.

“He was Polish and all he kept saying was ‘the lights green, I go’.”

Luckily, an ambulance was already on the other side of the junction and Alex was treated at the scene and taken to St Richard’s, where she was released the same day.

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“She was in extreme pain, so thank goodness an ambulance was already there and the two girls were great, even though they had another passenger on board,” Mrs Holness said.

“My daughter’s arm is in a sling, she’s still in a lot of pain, she is severely bruised and has muscle damage to her shoulder.

“She has her two young children to look after as well.”

Last week the Observer called on Highways England to urgently remove the lights before there was an accident – and having been involved in a crash there the day later, Mrs Holness reiterated that plea.

She said: “I have the Observer in front of me saying ‘fix the dangerous lights before there’s a collision’.

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“Well sadly we were that collision. Fortunately we weren’t hurt all that badly, but the next person might not be so lucky.”

After the Observer contacted Highways about the concerns last Wednesday, a spokesman said: “We have carried out extensive observations at the Stockbridge roundabout: all the road signs are clear and are being well understood by both drivers and pedestrians.

“Nevertheless, we take feedback like this seriously and have installed extra ‘give way’ signs at the roundabout to remove any doubt that normal roundabout rules still apply.

“We will continue to keep the performance of the roadworks under constant review as we continue our work to replace this well-used footbridge.”

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