Councillor 'furious' after teen hit by car at Windsor junction

A 'furious' councillor has called for more safety action to be taken at a 'blackspot' Windsor junction after a teenager was hit by a car there on Thursday night.

Councillor Amy Tisi (Lib Dem, Clewer East) says she has been calling on the Royal Borough to install a safer pedestrian crossing near the mini roundabout on the A308, Maidenhead Road, for several years.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) and South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) have both confirmed that a teenage boy, thought to be about 15 years old, was hit by a vehicle whilst crossing the existing zebra crossing on the road at about 7pm. 

He suffered minor injuries and was taken to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough for further treatment. 

"We received a 999 call with the caller reporting a collision between an approximately 15-year-old boy and a car on a zebra crossing on Maidenhead Road, Windsor," a SCAS spokesman said. 

"We sent a rapid response vehicle, an ambulance and the Thames Valley Air Ambulance critical care response vehicle to the location.

"The patient was complaining of pain in his legs and hands following the collision and he was taken to Wexham Park Hospital for further assessment."

TVP says it is investigating the collision and has urged anyone who witnessed it to call 101, quoting reference number 43210091629.

Maidenhead Road - which changes from 50mph, 40mph and then to 30mph on approach to Windsor - is often busy and sometimes used as a motorway diversion, and Cllr Tisi claims residents nearby are angry that a better system to slow vehicles down has not been implemented.

To add to frustrations, locals have reported that a flashing light on the zebra crossing has also been out for some time, making visibility for drivers difficult. 

"People just go too fast approaching that junction," Cllr Tisi said, adding on Twitter on Thursday that she was 'furious' following the incident.

"The zebra crossing is not raised, so people do not see it until they are nearly on top of it.

"I have been saying for a couple of years now, there should be proper traffic stopping measures; a proper pedestrian crossing.

"It is not a new issue. This has been going on for a long time. What frustrates me is that they [the Royal Borough] know the junction needs upgrading."

Cllr Tisi claims that council work had previously been approved in 2018/19, costing in the region of £67,000 - to upgrade the crossing to a 'pelican', with traffic lights to stop vehicles. 

"We are now looking at budget 2021/22 and it has still not been done," she said.

"Since then, we have been saying 'come on, what is going to happen?', and they have done a few things, putting in a cycle lane on the roundabout. 

"But they have not done the big work. There has been two accidents at this roundabout with children in the last few months, and next time could be really serious.

"Does a child have to die on that crossing for them to do something? These are my neighbours kids, it is my community."

A Royal Borough spokesman said: "We are concerned to hear of this incident and our thoughts are with the injured child and their family.

"All incidents are investigated alongside the police. Until the full circumstances are known it is not possible to say what additional works might be appropriate.”