A Conservative Councillor has launched a scathing attack on Wokingham Borough Council over a £5.5million junction redesign that replaced traditional road markings with decorative leaves.
Peter Harper, who represents Finchampstead, has gathered nearly 1,500 signatures on a petition demanding the council paint "standard road markings" at the California Crossroads junction.
"Even local people who use the junction all the time are confused," Harper told GB News.
The controversial redesign, completed last September, features white and multicoloured leaves instead of traditional thick white lines and roundabout markings.
Wokingham Borough Council has come under fire after spending more than £5million on an artistic new junction design
Wokingham Borough Council, GB News
The redesign was part of a "refreshing transformation" of what the council describes as a "key junction" in the town.
However, local residents have expressed strong concerns about the design on social media, with one calling it "total carnage".
Speaking to GB News about the redesign, Harper raised serious concerns about pedestrian safety and driver confusion at the junction.
"Parents have raised concerns that it looks very attractive to their children when they're walking along the side of the road," he said.
The redesign of the California Crossing has been slammed by local residents WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCILThe councillor revealed that independent road safety experts had conducted an audit of the junction, which was rejected by the council.
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"There was a road safety audit carried out on that junction by independent road safety experts, who also recommended painting mini roundabout markings on the road. Unfortunately, the council rejected that recommendation," Harper revealed.
The Tory Councillor explained that while the junction needed upgrading, the project's cost had ballooned far beyond initial plans.
He said: "£1.3million was earmarked for that work to be done."
"They could have spent much less money, made it a much more standard junction that everyone understands, and they could have used the excess money elsewhere across the borough," Harper added.
Harper told GB News that parents are 'concerned' for their children using the junction as a 'playground'
GB News
Expressing his outrage at the redesign, Harper concluded by stating that his calls for the junction to implement "standard road markings" began back in 2022, but the council "haven't listened".
He stated: "I've been calling on the council to think sensibly about this since I was elected in 2022, and sadly, they haven't listened.
"There's plenty of other roads that need improvement. They could have used that money much more effectively."
A council spokesman defended the scheme, stating it "is making the area a more pleasant place for pedestrians and cyclists while keeping the traffic moving".
The council acknowledged there are "always concerns when the new junction layout is introduced".
It also reminded all road users that standard Highway Code rules apply despite the new design.
