Members of Child Okeford Parish Council are worried a ‘tragedy will happen sooner or later’ unless traffic calming measures are put in place after a car ploughed into a village garden.

The accident is just one of four which have happened in Child Okeford over the last two months with villagers and parish councillors becoming increasingly concerned for the safety and welfare of residents in the busy village, with lots of pedestrians and no pavements.

The parish council has approached Dorset Highways over many years, urging the organisation to introduce measures to slow cars down and keep the village safer.
But to no avail. In the most recent car accident, the vehicle crashed in Haywards Lane, ploughing into the garden of resident Amy Church.

“It’s a very worrying time now as you would never expect a car coming into the garden,” said Amy.
“I have had to change my front room around because I am so anxious. My door gets locked all the time. I walk as fast as I can to the car and from the car to the house. People say it wouldn’t happen again, but what were the chances of it happening the first time?”

Parish councillor Tim Cotton said: “We are concerned about the impact this accident has had on Amy and her family. I think anyone would be upset by a car veering off the road and into their front garden. Unfortunately, this was the second such incident in the centre of the village in the last month and we are worried that without some changes to the management of traffic in Child Okeford, there could be an even more tragic event in future.”

“The roads through Child Okeford are heavily used, especially in the morning by people taking school children to St Nicholas Primary School in Child Okeford and to Clayesmore School in Iwerne Minster.”

“There is a 20mph speed limit through the village but few drivers take any notice of it. The parish council and other residents have for many years asked the Highways Agency for traffic calming measures but we haven’t been successful yet.”

Cllr Cotton added: “Our fear is that it will take a tragedy before they agree to do anything about it.”

No one from the Highways Agency was able to comment at the time of going to press.

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