Speed limit will be reduced on South Shields road where OAP died

Plans to cut speed limits on roads near where a pensioner was killed have been backed by town hall chiefs.
Marsden Road, South ShieldsMarsden Road, South Shields
Marsden Road, South Shields

But council bosses also opted not to go ahead with more controversial proposals for speed humps.

Instead, Marsden Road, in South Shields, is set to get less intrusive measures, such as electronic speed signs for the the fastest stretches.

Martha JohnsonMartha Johnson
Martha Johnson

It will also keep its current 30 mph speed limit.

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The move comes after the death of 88-year-old Martha Johnson, who was hit by a car just yards from her home in the street in August last year (2017).

This prompted South Tyneside Council to install a crossing point and begin consultation on further measures.

“We have to be proportionate,” said Coun Iain Malcolm, the leader of the council, at last night’s (Thursday, November 15) East Shields and Whitburn Community Area Forum (CAF).

“We put in the road crossing in very quickly and that was quite difficult because some residents took a lot of persuading and some were, shall we say, fundamentally opposed.

“But we got it in and it’s well-used.

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“We’ve done a consultation and the residents who live there have come out very clearly against road humps.”

Former charity worker and mum-of-three Martha had lived at the Aged Miner Homes, just off Marsden Road, since 2014.

A crossing point for the road was completed in September (2018) and gauging opinion on whether to add other safety features in August.

This saw 230 letters sent to homes in the area suggesting a lower speed limit, speed humps and more signs.

Just 33 responded, of whom 30 were against the plans.

On the back of this, the CAF was given four options:

Option One – Push ahead with the full scheme anyway

Option Two – Abandon the scheme

Option Three – Implement the 20mph zone only

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Option Four – Implement the 20mph zone and ‘less controversial’ safety measures, but not the speed humps

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of Option Four.

The 20mph zone will apply to the residential area north of Marsden Road, including Harton House Road, Mitchell Gardens, Harton House Road East, Harton Rise, Grinstead Close, Highfield Drive, Horsley Vale, High Meadow, Midhurst Avenue, Leafield Crescent, Wells Grove, Westhope Close and Ridley Close.