Councillor asks: 'What is the life of a resident worth?' at Braywick Road protest

Oldfield councillors joined protesters at the side of Braywick Road this morning to ask the Royal Borough just how much it thinks a life is worth.

More than 20 resident and members of the Rushington Area Residents Association (RARA) were joined by councillors Geoff Hill (Ind Con, Oldfield) and Asghar Majeed (Ind Con, Oldfield), to highlight the need for a crossing on the road.

The plan was to walk into Braywick Road and stop traffic but RARA chairman, John Hudson, said they had to opt for ‘Plan B’ as the original idea would be illegal.

He said police had not been informed beforehand but they had put signs up.

John said: “This is the second time we have done this now and we have to keep the momentum going.

“There has been a campaign for about 18 years.”

Cllr Hill said: “What we need is a footbridge with disabled access because you can’t stop traffic, it’s expensive but it will work.”

Cllr Majeed said the concerns of the residents' association are being ignored.

“What is the life of a resident worth?”, he added.

Andrew Smith was there with his wife Emma and seven-year-old daughter Lisa, a pupil at Braywick Court School.

They were concerned about their daughter’s safety when the school moves back to the Braywick site next year.

Andrew added: “Plus I think it make sense to have a crossing with all the other long time plans for the area.”

John said that the ‘excuses’ made in the past about there not being enough fatalities and there not being enough need didn’t make sense because residents don’t cross the road because it is so dangerous.

He said he met the deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for highways, transport and Windsor, Cllr Phill Bicknell (Con, Park) about three weeks ago, who he said told him that the cost of a footbridge would be about £150,000.

John added: “They can spend £1.5m on a bungalow (in Rushington Avenue for the Maidenhead Golf Course development), how can that be justified?"

An online petition has so far gathered nearly 140 signatures including that of council leader Simon Dudley (Con, Maidenhead Riverside).

Cllr Bicknell has been contacted for comment.