Petition

We, the residents of Cookham Village, call on the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to rescind the decision to close the Causeway to vehicles in the event of closure of the B4447 road in case of flooding.

Background

It is unrealistic to prevent access to the Village where there are a number of businesses which depend on transport links and many residents who are elderly and need to be able to come and go by car to lead normal lives.

Despite the statement made in the Borough’s letter of 15 April to the Chairman of the Cookham Society, the A4094 becomes impassable even to larger vehicles before the B4447 and therefore could not be used as an alternative for access to the Village. Since the A4094 on the Bourne End side of Cookham Bridge also becomes impassable before the B4447, the Causeway remains as the only means of access to the Village.

The Risk Assessment carried out by the Borough does not take into account that the Causeway has been shared by vehicles and pedestrians for many years without any of the possible incidents identified occurring. It would seem that, while describing thoroughly the possible risks of using the Causeway, the Risk Assessment has taken a completely negative view and needs to have “a dose of common sense” added.

The Department of Transport guidelines for use of temporary traffic signals are quoted to indicate that such signals should not be used on the Causeway. We would maintain that these are only guidelines and it is up to the Local Authority to decide whether they are mandatory. Installation of suitable signs warming drivers of the length of delay which they might expect would probably be sufficient to avoid the frustration to which the assessment refers. The volume of traffic should not, in any case, be significant since there would be no through route due to closure of the A4094.