Berkshire leaf design junction compared to Horizon scandal

A Wokingham councillor has compared the redesign of a junction branded an ‘accident waiting to happen’ to the Post Office Horizon scandal.

Councillor Peter Harper has called upon Wokingham Borough Council to make safety improvements to California Crossroads, situated between Finchampstead Road and Nine Mile Ride, following its redesign.

The £5.5 million revamp resulted in a unique ‘colourful leaf’ design replacing the junction’s double roundabout, with the aim to make it more pedestrian-friendly. Instead of zebra crossings, there are white painted leaves showing where people should cross via foot.

But the design has proved unpopular – with more than 1,600 signing Cllr Harper’s petition calling for safety improvements at the junction.

The conservative member for Finchampstead North presented the petition to the council’s overview and scrutiny commission on March 4.

During the debate, highways officer Chris Easton said his team were monitoring the junction, and there was ‘nothing factual to demonstrate it’s not safe’.

Mr Easton said there had been no recorded accidents on the junction since it reopened six months ago, but if any accidents did happen, appropriate action would be taken.

The highways officer added the project has been ‘well recieved’ by the industry, and the council has submitted it for an award at the National Highways Code.

Cllr Harper said: “I get a feeling of this as a sort of discussion the post office were having when the horizon scheme was being discussed – everyone was raising concerns, we have the executive members waving the flag about how wonderful the scheme is, with their heads in the sand.

“I think we should be listening to the people who are using that scheme, we should be listening to the safety experts. We should make the change now.”

The Horizon scandal involved thousands of innocent post office submasters being blamed for financial shortfalls caused by faults in the IT system.

Making the comparison, Cllr Harper asked highway officers why certain recommendations made in a safety audit carried out in September 2024 were rejected by the council.

This included adding central islands to the mini roundabouts, ‘look both ways’ markings at pedestrian crossing points, and arrow markings.

Chris Easton said the recommendations would change the ‘fundamental scheme entirely’ as it would take away the leaf pattern and uncontrolled crossing.

But this was criticised by committee members. Councillor Dave Edmonds said: “We need to make sure that safety trumps design in terms or priorities.

“I would far happier have a boring roundabout that is safer and people didn’t get hurt on, than a beautiful theme park-type thing that has a higher accident rate.”

Leader of the council Stephen Conway said the project, dating back to 2015, had been treated with ‘incredible care and thoroughness’.

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