Caroline Pidgeon AM calls for road safety improvements in King's Cross area

9.18.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 2nd Sep 2008

Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson, will be presenting a petition to the Mayor calling for him to make safety improvements to a number of junctions in the King's Cross area.

"The junction of Penton Rise and Pentonville Road in Islington has been known as a local death-trap for cyclists and pedestrians for years. There is work scheduled to take place later this year but what worries me is why people have to die and many others injured before steps are taken to make the junction safer. I want to see these alterations completed on schedule and will be doing all I can to ensure this is the case" says Caroline.

On Monday Caroline was presented with a petition collected by Liberal Democrat Islington councillor George Allan, who has been leading the campaign for improvements to the area's roads, which she in turn will present to the Mayor. The petition demands action not just at Penton Rise but also at Five Ways corner, the junction of Kings Cross Road and Penton Rise and the Angel junction.

Both Caroline and Cllr Allan say they are concerned there could be more deaths at the spot before the work is finished.

Cllr Allan says: "The TfL proposals are a big improvement. I'm just very concerned it's taken them so long to get this far. I just hope TfL gets the work done on time and there's no more delays or indeed accidents."

After making a visit to the site last week along with Cllr Allan Caroline says: "I understand at a previous site visit a cyclist was actually knocked down there and then. Fortunately nothing as ghastly as that happened when I was there but I could certainly see how it's difficult for cyclists to safely cross the junction as it is at the moment."

The danger for cyclists travelling west on Pentonville Road is that when they stop at the lights at the junction with Penton Rise they are allowed to continue straight on to use a cycle and bus lane. Motorists on the other hand are directed to the left on to Penton Rise. The combination of cyclists going straight on while motorists turn left across their path has caused dozens of accidents in the past, as well as at least one fatality.

Transport for London's plans for the junction, which were revealed to Caroline and Cllr Allan at the site visit, will involve two phases, due for completion by the end of March 2009.