Grandad’s accident at Wickersley roundabout sparks crossing calls

COUNCIL officials have moved to head off criticism about road safety at the spot where an elderly man suffered a painful trip by revealing it plans to install a new crossing.

Rotherham Borough Council came under fire after 80-year-old Malcolm Allsopp (80) suffered a broken wrist and a broken nose in the incident on the Morthen Road in Wickersley on Saturday.

Mr Allsopp’s son Richard said his father had tripped on the crumbling road surface and he planned to complain to the council about the state of the road and traffic on and around the roundabout.

He said he would also be raising concerns with Yorkshire Ambulance Service after it took an hour for paramedics to arrive at the scene.

The council said this week that it was aware of road safety concerns and planned to install a crossing within the next year. 

Reacting to the accident, Richard Allsopp said: “This is the second time it’s happened to my father — he fell 18 months ago at the same spot but this time he has a compound fracture and a broken nose.

“He’s complained in the past about the state of his own road (Moss Close) and the pavements around the area and this is an issue I’ll be taking further.

“My parents have lived here since the ‘90s and the roundabout has got worse.

“People don’t signal and they come off it too quickly.

“I think there should be more road-calming measures.

“I live off Northfield Lane (on the other side of Wickersley roundabout) and the state of driving on the roundabout is ridiculous.

“There should be lights on the roundabout or a crossing towards the top of Morthen Road at least.”

Mr Allsopp, of Magna Crescent, said he had been alerted to the accident by his mother, who had been told about it by a neighbour, and they had both rushed to the scene.

“On behalf of the family I want to say we are so grateful to the folk of Wickersley who came to his aid,” he said.

“My father was on the ground for an hour but he was tended to by a doctor, a pharmacist and a nurse.

“Without them we don’t know what might have happened.

“A police officer who stopped at the scene called and escalated the call for an ambulance but we still had to wait another 40 minutes for it to come, after which it was another hour before he got to hospital.

“He will be recovering for six months and will not be able to drive. My mother cannot drive so obviously that will have an impact on the family.”

News of the accident spread on social media, with many users of the Wickersley Now Facebook page wishing Mr Allsopp well but also calling for a crossing to be installed and pointing out the number of drivers exiting the roundabout too quickly.

One said: “It is a nightmare crossing there. Something definitely needs to be done.”

Another added: “Cars go so fast and don’t always indicate coming off the main road. Even when the school crossing lady is there you wonder if cars are going to stop.”

The council’s cabinet member for waste, roads and community safety, Cllr Emma Hoddinott, said: “We were sorry to hear about Mr Allsopp’s accident, and wish him a speedy recovery. 

“We know that road safety is important to residents, and the council has made additional capital investment funding available to deliver schemes as a result. 

“Because of this investment, work was already being prepared for a pedestrian crossing on Morthen Road and we expect it to be installed within the next twelve months.”