Online road safety petition exceeds the 500 signatures needed for Prime Minister response

HE called for your support and you answered - and Graham Chappell is looking forward to a response from the Prime Minister in his battle for barriers along riverside roads.

Earlier this month, through the Cambs Times, the Fenland road safety campaigner urged you to sign an online petition calling for action from Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

You responded - and now the petition has got more than the 500 signatures needed to ensure a response from Downing Street.

Mr Chappell said: "The total on Wednesday morning was 510.

"Hopefully there are more to come which will really help, but we have hit the target required to call the exercise a success, so thanks again to the Cambs Times for your help with this.

"There is no doubt that last week's articles have been a great help in reaching a wider audience in this area."

The petition is appealing to the Government to support the installation of more barriers along Fenland's river roads, such as the Sixteen Foot Bank, Forty Foot Bank and North Bank. It was set up almost 12 months ago by Lesley Elding, of Whittlesey.

People who have signed up recently include Sue Hooton, whose husband Richard died in December 2005 when his car plunged into the North Bank; and Angela Peck, whose daughters were killed along the Forty Foot Bank in December 1979.

Mr Chappell said: "The PM's Office response will no doubt be as non-committal as can be managed but the point will have been made regarding support for the campaign - not only to 10 Downing Street but also to Shire Hall and all those involved."

The success came in the same week that Cambridgeshire County Council completed installing the rumble-strip along the Sixteen Foot Bank.

• There is still time to sign the petition. Visit http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/fenland/ before the October 30 deadline.