‘Rose did not deserve this’ (From Ealing Times)

‘Rose did not deserve this’

9:34am Thursday 22nd November 2007 in News By Alex Hayes

A GRANDMOTHER has been killed exactly three weeks after a five-year-old girl was seriously injured on the same notorious Acton road.

Rose Cleary, 72, was killed when she was hit by a car outside her house in North Acton Road just before 9am on Saturday morning, November 17.

Rose was crossing the road to buy a paper from the local shop.

Floral tributes from friends and family have been left at the scene to pay tribute to a popular neighbour who had lived in the same house for more than 45 years.

The crash happened just 100 yards from the zebra crossing where five-year-old Rachel Popoola was left for dead by a hit-and-run driver, as she crossed the road with her brother to play in the park.

Residents on the road are now calling on Ealing Council to take urgent action to prevent more deaths on the stretch which links two busy industrial estates.

Estella O'Brien, who has had a house in the area for 20 years and is a member of the Wesley Estate Residents' Association, said: "Rose was a really lovely woman, she did not deserve this at all.

"Residents are in shock and many people are very distressed by these accidents, especially as they have come so close together.

"Parents are scared to take their children to the park or use the crossings as no-one stops for them.

"We need to fight to make sure we get something done about this road by the council as it is becoming more and more dangerous."

Meetings to discuss the safety of the road have been ongoing since 2004, when 42-year-old Maria Kishak, a Ukrainian woman, was killed on the same crossing as Rachel.

A new bus station is also due to be built in nearby Cunard Road, which will increase traffic flow along North Acton Road, after councillors gave it the go-ahead two weeks ago.

Mrs O'Brien said: "What we want is the traffic that speeds up and down this road all day calmed completely.

"The new bus station can only be accessed by coming along North Acton Road, so we will now have even more dangerous traffic in the area.

"We need traffic lights put on the roundabouts at the end of the road, and for this stretch to be made a one way road so traffic has to use Park Royal Road instead.

"Because we are at the edge of the borough we do feel marginalised, and the needs of people on this estate are completely ignored.

"Over the years councils have sold off the fields and community centre to make way for industry, and then they turn round to us and say there's nothing they can do as we live on an industrial estate."

A petition calling for immediate action over North Acton Road was presented at a meeting of the Acton Area Committee on Wednesday evening.

• A man who was driving a silver Mercedes SL60 sports car stopped at the scene of the accident.

He was arrested and has been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

• Do you live in the North Acton Road area? What do you think should be done to make the road safer? Use the comment facility below to have your say.