The Conservatives have pledged to install two crossings in Morton Way should they win election in May

Joan Bushill pictured waiting to cross Morton Way with her grandchild (credit Chris Bushill)

Enfield Council is being urged to install a crossing on a road in Arnos Grove where pedestrians are forced to “take their life their hands”.

Morton Way, a key route through the area, is described as being “like a motorway” during rush hour but does not currently have a single crossing of any type along the entirety of its 0.6-mile length.

Residents Joan and Chris Bushill recently launched a petition on website 38Degrees calling for a safe crossing on the road, which has been signed by 160 people so far.

Joan told the Dispatch: “On my way to work and coming home in the evening, it is when there is the most traffic, and it is like a motorway. The speed these drivers are going at, I counted ten people waiting to cross and the traffic was relentless.

“I have bought a bright orange jacket to wear. I feel for older people and younger people, we need another crossing. On the Barnet side in Waterfall Road there are four zebra crossings. A pedestrian refuge would help but I think a zebra would be better. And it would slow the traffic down.

“The council has said they have had no reports of accidents there, but that is good luck – why should we have to wait for that to happen?”

Chris added: “I wrote to the council in 2021 when a group of us got together and did a traffic survey. We got replies saying there is not enough people being killed.”

Paul Pratt, a Conservative councillor for Arnos Grove ward, has backed the petition and said a pedestrian crossing would be installed in Morton Way should the Tories win control of Enfield Civic Centre in May.

Cllr Pratt said: “This is something which I have been advocating for since my election in 2022 as Arnos Grove ward councillor.

“It continues to be a constant theme of communication between myself and Enfield Council’s traffic and transportation team. However, as with most things at Enfield Council, the simplest of things is met with the most unbelievable obfuscation.”

Cllr Pratt said he had been told by the civic centre’s highways team that the council needed to take “an evidence-led approach and prioritise locations with the highest collision rates first”.

The council has not responded to a request for comment for this article.

Cllr Pratt added: “I fully support this petition and will always back residents of Arnos Grove. On a positive note I am pleased to be able to say that when the Enfield Conservative group take control of the council in May, I have had confirmation that we will quickly act to have two zebra crossings or crossing points installed on Morton Way.”

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