CALLS have been made for a roundabout near Southend Airport to be made safer following the death of an elderly woman who was knocked down while crossing the road.

Joan Witchell, 89, of Eastwoodbury Crescent, Southend, died at the Royal London Hospital on Monday after being hit by a red Ford Ka as she was crossing from the traffic island on Rochford Road on Saturday.

But residents in the area say accidents are occurring more and more frequently around the Harp House roundabout, with some saying they have petitioned Southend Council to improve safety for years, though without success.

Data from Essex Highways and CrashMap.co.uk shows there have been 12 serious accidents in the area between 2005 and 2013 – an average of 1.5 per year.

Tony Fagg, 70, of Rochford Road, said he has been pressuring both the council and the police to install a speed camera on his road.

He said: “A few years ago, we had a child killed at the zebra crossing between the Bell and the airport and a bus knocked into a whole family pushing bikes across there, though thankfully no-one was seriously hurt, and the air ambulance has been there three times this year now.

“I’ve been faxing and emailing the council for four years about putting a speed camera in but they’ve said the average speed down there is 20 miles an hour, so there’s nothing they can do.” Martin Terry, Southend councillor responsible for roads, said the authority was considering ways to make the area safer.

He said: “In the Harp House roundabout area, we are looking at various proposals because there are a lot of problems with traffic.

“The council has been chasing the owners of the retail park because their car park arrangements are causing tailbacks into the roundabout, which in turn arguably cause unsafe and erratic driving.”

However, Mrs Witchell’s next door neighbour Annabelle Taylor, 43, said she thinks pedestrian crossings are the answer.

She said: “That roundabout is just ridiculous, it’s so dangerous for anyone trying to cross there, as none of the roads have crossings on them at all.

“My son crosses there every day to go to school and every day I worry about him.

“It’s a huge residential area as well as an airport and retail park, and it’s got even bigger as the airport has expanded.”

  • A 32-year-old man was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. He was released on police bail until February 2, pending further enquiries.