Solihull family fears house smash from speeding traffic

Apr 3 2008 By Steve Hayes

A WORRIED family today said they are living in fear of a car ramming their house afer a string of accidents at the junction outside.

Colin Dalton, 68, who has lived on the corner of Old Lode Lane, in Solihull, for 20 years, says he has lost count of the number of crashes at the busy junction between Mayswood Road and Merevale Road outside his house.

The latest collision last Tuesday involving two cars left one man needing hospital treatment and demolished the wall between Mr Dalton and his neighbour, Fran Davis's house, just metres from their dining rooms.

Mr Dalton has written to Solihull Council pleading with them to take action.

He said: "It is sheer luck that no one has been killed so far, but the way it is going someone could be and we are worried that we could be included.

"In the latest incident, if the car had been slightly to the left or right it would have been in one of our dining rooms."

There have been three accidents on the junction leading on to the busy main road in the past six months. One in December and another in February, which left Mr Dalton's chain link fence completely demolished.

Mrs Davis, 57, whose wall was destroyed in Tuesday's incident said: "You just know what is going to happen. Somebody is going to be killed if nothing is done.

"My granddaughter was out playing on her bike when one of the accidents happened a few years ago.

"It is the second time our wall has been knocked down."

Mr and Mrs Dalton's daughter, Rebecca, a student, 21, has written several letters to Lorely Burt MP, who then contacted the council's highways department.

Senior engineer for road safety at Solihull Council Paul Tovey said: "We have taken action to encourage motorists to drive carefully by repainting road markings and putting up temporary give-way signs.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and take further action if appropriate."