THE Carter family of Westham claim the junction contributed to a crash in which their car was wrecked.

Their Christmas celebrations were ruined when they were involved in a smash during a Boxing Day outing.

Sally Carter said she and her husband and two of their children, Tegan, four, and Harrison, two, were in a people carrier going from Newstead Road to North Quay when they were in collision with a car coming down Boot Hill.

Mrs Carter injured her back and her £5,000 Vauxhall Zafira which she was still paying for was written off. She now avoids the junction.

Care assistant Mrs Carter, 37, said: “It was a horrible experience. My little girl was crying and I was treated by a paramedic.

“Luckily no-one was badly injured but the car was a write-off and we’re still sorting it out with the insurers.

“The junction had a part to play. There are too many sets of lights on top of each other.

“It’s a dangerous place for drivers and for pedestrians.”

Dustman Mr Carter, 42, said: “There are far too many traffic lights at the junction and the crossings are too close together. Aren’t we supposed to be saving electricity these days?”

It's an absolute joke

ALBERT Walters has a good view of harbour crossroads and the crossings around it as he lives a few yards away on Boot Hill.

Mr Walters says he witnesses accidents regularly in the area.

Mr Walters, 70, who is married to Mary, said: “I’ve got a perfect view of what’s going on and it’s an absolute joke.

“I see queues like I never saw before because of all the lights. Traffic stops and starts on its way up the hill.

“I can’t imagine it’s good for the environment and I wouldn’t want to be outside next to it all.”

Mr Walters looks out onto crossings in Chickerell Road and Rodwell Road and says he sees two or three accidents a week.

He also witnesses drivers doing U-turns at the harbour junction to get back up Boot Hill.

He said: “They are only minor bumps but they are happening all the time.

“It’s because people are confused and don’t know what they are doing or they are stopping because of the lights.

“It’s ridiculous that you have a green light at the junction then you come up Boot Hill and you hit a crossing and then you hit the lights at Wyke Road.

“There were rarely queues at the roundabout.”