A much-loved cat had to be put down after likely being struck by a vehicle on a road where residents have been complaining about speeding issues.

Bell Common in Epping has been plagued by overwhelming traffic and speeding from drivers using it as a cut through between Epping High Road and Theydon Road, residents say.

Essex County Council have agreed on plans to make road a no-through road, however a timeframe for the changes have yet to be confirmed.

On May 31, Maggie, a seven-year-old cat, had to be put down after her owners found her lying in the street severely hurt and unable to use her legs.

“It was really hard. It was sad seeing her like that”, said Maggie’s owner Michelle Rowe – a Bell Common resident.

“The last time we saw her she was just in a terrible state and I can’t actually get that out of my head. That is the memory I have of my cat, just her looking absolutely dreadful.

“In the space of 20 minutes we got her to the vet hospital and that was it, she was gone. She had a really bad bleed to the brain. I was wondering if she had some kind of seizure but the vets said she had such a bad trauma it could only have been caused by a large force to the head, that’s how we knew it was a vehicle.”

Michelle added: “We have had people that we don’t even know leaving flowers and dropping us cards saying that ‘your cat brought us so much joy’.

“Maggie was a bit of a flirt and she would always kind of like work the common and try and get everyone to stroke her who would walk past. It has been really amazing seeing how many people she touched.”

Michelle says speeding on the road has been a regular occurrence and that Essex County Council’s (ECC) proposed solution is an “absolutely positive thing”.

However Essex Highways say surveys carried out in Bell Common – a 30mph road – have concluded “there is not an issue with speeding".

“Everyone that lives along here, we have all had our own experiences with speeding on the road. One of our other neighbours he has had his cat run over in the past couple of years”, Michelle told the Epping Forest Guardian.

“When you live here every day, it’s kind of crazy how fast cars speed down here.”

Louise Want, a Bell Common resident who is pleased ECC is addressing issues on the road, said: “It’s not the first cat that has been killed because of cars speeding down here. It has been an issue for a very long time.”

85-year-old Edna Law, has lived on the road for 35 years, said: “It’s terrible, nobody likes the speeding down this road because they go so fast and anybody in the road could get knocked over.”

Edna, who first sent a letter to the council complaining about speeding in Bell Common 28 years ago, has purchased her own sign encouraging drivers to drive carefully on the road.

A spokesperson for Essex Highways, said: “The Epping Forest Local Highway Panel - made up of councillors - has agreed a solution which involves closing off the B1393 High Road so that it is no longer a through route where it turns into Bell Common. Surveys carried out at this location have concluded that there is not an issue with speeding, but rather too much traffic using this minor road as a cut-through to avoid the traffic lights at the crossroads. The proposed scheme does depend on a land arrangement with the City of London Corporation which we hope to conclude during this financial year.”

Epping Forest Guardian:

For more breaking news, local headlines and features, ‘like’ our Facebook page.

We also have a Twitter account: @EppingFGuardian

Follow us to keep up-to-date with news in Epping Forest.