Contest to find UK's worst rat-run
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Your support makes all the difference.We've voted for our favourite Briton, favourite poem and favourite pop idol. But now – more bizarrely – there's a new competition to discover Britain's favourite, or rather worst, rat-run.
Residents with the street most abused as a rat-run could win a suitably unique prize: a road hump or chicane.
The Rat-Run UK competition is being organised by transport pressure groups Transport 2000 and Sustrans, along with the Big Issue magazine, to highlight a problem they say is blighting homes.
Transport 2000 believes 10 per cent of the A-road network is so badly congested that 3,000 miles of residential roads are used as rat-runs.
"Drivers who hunt down short cuts through areas of housing are oblivious to the impact they are having," said Julia Samson, of Transport 2000. "What were once quiet residential streets are now the equivalent of main roads. The result is that children are not allowed to play outside, neighbours do not stand and chat, and the desire to walk to the local shop is taken away."
The worst street rat-run in Britain will win two days with consultants who will come up with ways to slow the traffic down – although the prize falls short of paying for it. That will be at the discretion of the local authority.
In Kingston Road, Oxford, residents have introduced their own 20mph speed limit in an attempt to slow down drivers avoiding the busy Woodstock Road. Their "20 is plenty" signs are displayed in most windows and gardens.
Waterfall Road in Enfield, north London, has to put up with traffic trying to avoid the congested North Circular ring-road around the capital.
Vivian Barthram, chairwoman of the Arnos West Community Association, said: "There is not one crossing on Waterfall Road, so children either have to cross the road without help on their way to school, which is very dangerous, or they have to be driven there."
Reg Barritt of Lower Harrington Street in Handbridge, Chester, said: "Speeding delivery vehicles and city workers looking for free parking near the city centre all pass this way. It's far too dangerous for children to play on the street and pets aren't safe."
For further details of the competition or an entry form, call Julia Samson at Transport 2000 on 020 7613 0743 or email julias@transport2000.org.uk.
The closing date for entries is 16 June 2003 and the winner will be announced in July.
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