Residents in Finchampstead, Berkshire, are calling for the return of a village war memorial following a series of road accidents at a local junction in February 2026. A three-car collision on 20 February 2026, which left a wrecked Audi TT at the site, led to police closing the road at the intersection of Jubilee Road and Rectory Hill. By 23 February 2026, a further collision was reported at the site, which locals now call the Old War Memorial Junction.
Local people and former shopkeepers believe the stone cross acted as a vital visual marker that encouraged drivers to slow down before it was moved in August 2022. Finchampstead Parish Council originally moved the structure to a park to make remembrance services safer and allow for future road improvements.
Wokingham Borough Council has recently installed cameras and speed-monitoring equipment to study how motorists use the junction. While officials have considered adding new road surfaces to help cars grip better, the parish council is hesitant to start major building work due to concerns about taking on the full legal and financial costs.
The memorial was first unveiled in 1920 and stood at the junction for over a century before it was relocated. Residents like Ian Adnams argue that the loss of the landmark has turned the 40mph zone into an accident hotspot and are urging leaders to either return the cross or lower speed limits immediately.
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