A FATHER is calling for action to be taken to stop drivers from speeding in a road being used as a rat-run outside his family home.

IT manager Stephen Minett says motorists are frequently reaching speeds of up to 40mph in Ellis Road, near Oaklands School, and he is concerned for his children and others’ safety.

Despite it being an issue in the 30mph road in Crowthorne when he moved in six years ago, he said the problem has slowly got worse and now more than ever action needs to be taken.

“The council did acknowledge there is a problem,” he said. “But they also said it was down to locals speeding. How do they know it’s locals speeding, and what difference does that make?

“Children obviously walk along the road and it is only going to get worse with more housing being built in the area. It’s only a matter of time before a serious accident is going to happen.

“The new housing is going to make this road more treacherous, I am just a concerned local parent sticking up for my and others’ children.”

He added he has witnessed two car accidents along the stretch of road where parents, carers and children also use to walk to Acorns Under Five Pre School nearby.

And he says despite contacting the traffic management team at Wokingham Borough Council on more than one occasion over the years, nothing substantial has been done.

“But it wasn’t until I started walking my two children to school that my parental instincts kicked in and I became more concerned with the situation,” the father-of-two said.

“If it wasn’t for the schools then it wouldn’t be such a problem, so I then had another bash at contacting the council, I think what they did was put some speed signs in.”

But he believes speed signs are not a big enough preventative measure.

The 44-year-old has set up a petition to try to get the authority to take action and, at the time of writing, has so far gained 125 signatures.

Cllr Malcolm Richards, Wokingham Borough Council’s executive member for highways and transport, said once they receive the petition they will consider it.

“But local residents must remember that any new restrictions would equally affect their own movements as well as through traffic,” he said.