Buckhurst Hill residents lead campaign for road safety

Nineteen-year-old Chalize Vitalis-Lovell was killed in a two-vehicle crash in Buckhurst Way on Tuesday (19 October).

Residents are calling on Essex Highways and Essex County Council to make local roads safer by introducing traffic calming measures across Buckhurst Hill.

Ms Vitalis-Lovell is the third person in eight years to have been killed on either Buckhurst Way or Loughton Way in the town in an accident involving a motorist.

Charlize Vitalis-Lovell, 19 of Buckhurst Hill who died in the crash.

READ MORE:Mother’s 'heartbreak' as nineteen year-old daughter killed in crash

The following day Wednesday, October 13, a car travelling at speed on Loughton Way lost control and ended up on its roof.

Since Tuesday’s tragedy, an online petition has been started by concerned residents calling for traffic-calming measures to be introduced along Buckhurst Way, Loughton Way and Roding Lane. The petition has gained over 1,900 signatures.

Buckhurst Hill Green Party leader, Steven Neville, said: “It is a simple fact that a road that starts in the neighbouring town of Woodford has adequate traffic-calming measures and street lighting to keep local residents safe, but that once you cross what is, after all, an invisible border into Essex those measures that keep local residents safe disappear too.

“What makes Tuesday’s tragedy worse is that it occurred less than 100 metres from where traffic-calming measures and adequate street lighting end – all because it is the border between Essex and London.

Campaigners gathered near to the spot of last Tuesday’s (12 October) accident.

“Essex County Council and Essex Highways have been asked repeatedly over the years to look at the issue of speeding in Buckhurst Hill and have done next to nothing to tackle the problem.

“As the online petition started by local residents shows, people have had enough of being ignored. It’s about time those responsible took action before someone else is killed.”

An Essex Highways spokesperson said: “We are deeply sorry to hear about the death of this young woman. Following any fatal collision on the Essex highway network, the Road Safety Engineering team will conduct a full investigation on behalf of the highway authority at the location of the collision.

“As part of our investigation, a full review of the highway and surrounding environment is undertaken to consider any potential highway-related contributory factors in the causation of the collision.

“We also review the previous 10 years’ collision data within proximity to the incident location. If a clear collision pattern or trend emerges in relation to these collisions, which can be treated by engineering measures, a ‘remedial scheme’ can be put forward to the Local Highways Panel.”