Fatal smash sparks road safety calls
Thursday 26th August 2010, 12:35PM BST.
Shropshire residents today called for action after one person was killed and another seriously injured in two crashes within 24 hours on the same road.
Villagers in Upton Magna, near Shrewsbury have been campaigning for more than two years for improvements to be made to the B5062 near the Haughton and Withington crossroads.
Now they are stepping up their campaign after a motorcyclist was killed in a collision outside their homes on Sunday and another person airlifted to hospital after another crash on Monday afternoon.
Clare Horgan, who lives within 100 yards of the main road, called for measures to be put in place to improve safety.
She said: “There was a spell over the summer two years ago when there were five separate accidents here.
“It was then I decided to write to other residents to suggest they made a representation to the traffic authorities.
“What makes me angry is that residents here said there would be a fatality two years ago and not enough has been done. We have now had two serious accidents in less than 24 hours and someone has been killed.
“We have seen small changes to the signage and white lines on the roads but the problem is the bend and dip in the road.”
She said: “We would like to see a mandatory 40mph speed limit and no overtaking allowed.”
But campaigners have had further problems getting action with one side of the crossroads the responsibility of Shropshire Council and the other looked after by Telford & Wrekin Council.
Alice Dilly, Shropshire Council’s principal engineer, said:”Works currently proposed include the renewal of the slow markings on the approaches to the crossroads. However, we will continue to work with the police to determine whether any further highway works are to be considered.”
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There is nothing wrong with the road, it is down to the drivers, amother knee-jerk reaction. I’m surprised they haven’t called for 20mph speed limits, speed cameras and snipers to take miscreants to task.
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It is hardly a knee jerk reaction. The local people who have to use that crossroads every day have been complaining about it for 25 years. We dont want a 20mph limit, snipers, cameras etc we just know it’s not a good enough road to go through at 60mph.
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How insensitive of terry to make comments in this manner. Yes, new safety measures do need to be put in place. But silly comments like ‘snipers’ doesn’t help the current road safety issues at that accident blackspot. This incident was negligence and down right stupidity of the person who caused the accident, these irresponsible drivers causing the loss of life should have their licences taken away indefinately. Especially drivers known to drive irresponsibly. Ade couldve been your brother and I believe your comment wouldve been a bit more constructive then! Take a leaf out of his book, he never had a bad word said about anybody. RIP Ade.
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I agree that something has to be done about this road. Then perhaps someone else won’t have to lose their brother the way that I have just lost mine.
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Thankyou for your constructive comment there Terry, at least we now know who speeds down this road.
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This road is a nightmare. A couple of times i have come back from a lovely meal out at Roddington and nearly come a cropper at the cross-roads.
The probem is that people accelerate through the cross roads to overtake slow vehicles on the straight towards haumond hill, which is totally leagle but dangerous for anyone exiting the junction as this is just after the bend.
I have no suggestions to how they can slow cars down as some people just take no notice. Perhaps the council could look at the design of the road and perhaps improve it. How many more accidents / deaths are needed on this road before action is taken. My condolences go out to Sharon Jones.
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Terry your comment is very childish and unhelpful. Are you the type that feels it’s your right to speed because you are such a good driver? It’s always the same, any talk about reducing speed or traffic calming and all those amazing drivers who blame everyone elses bad driving for accidents, come out the woodwork.
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Ok Terry you’re right in that it really comes down to the drivers. Unfortunately there are loads of bad drivers out there and when you get a junction like that one they dont get away with it. Heartfelt condolences to Sharon and family.
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It’s not necessarily the speed or the skill of the driver that is at issue here. It is more to do with the visibility from the Upton Magna turn into the main road. You have to commit to pulling out into the main road without being able to see very far. The Council should concentrate on improving the visibility (cut back heges, trees, provide a run-in etc) rather than opt for the easy way out and repaint a SLOW sign.
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There is nothing within this article which suggests that any of the vehicles were speeding,so why is there always a drive to restrict the speed of vehicles? I use this road almost daily and I keep to the speed limit, it is not a difficult road to use provided you drive within your capabilities. The biggest dange I have encountered on this road are the deer, but the signs warn us of that.
Invariably going through the 30mph at Roden I will be overtaken, so that shows the worth of speed limits.
Also as a part-time motorcyclist I know how vulnerable we are and I have sustained a few injuries through the years, speed and road signage were never an issue, it was down to careless driving on other peoples parts, but let us not prejudge any of the incidents, that is for the courts to do.
Finally my condolences to Sharon Jones, unfortunately I also have that T-shirt and my comments are always meant to be constructive and are made with an overview not tainted by personal circumstances.
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SHARON. When Shropshire Council granted planning permission to extend Haughmond Hill quarry on the 13Th August 2009, As part of this application it was agreed that Barton Aggregates give Shropshire Council the sum of £20,000 for road improvements, all along the length of the road, examples being a movable sign to tell you what speed you are doing, new road markings, signs,and a 50mph speed limit. I quote from their report dated 13Th August 2009 * The Council as highway authority is currently reviewing its policy in general for the introduction of speed limit reductions and it is likely that high vehicle speeds and accidents rates will be a factor in prioritising any schemes* The Council have the money so how long does it take to act? The person who was in charge was,
Mr MALCOLM BELL
STRATEGIC MINERALS and WASTE MANAGER,
SHIREHALL
SHREWSBURY,SY2 6ND.
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I’d agree that something needs to be done about the road in question as it seems to carry a particularly high risk when looking at the frequency and severity of the accidents that are occurring. True, there are always issues with the way others drive but equally there is also responsibility to ensure that those travelling safely have the best possible opportunity of arriving at their destination in a safe and timely manner. If you do a quick search on the internet there appear to be a tragic number of serious accidents, particularly in and around the Uffington crossroads area. This fact alone should ring alarm bells, especially given that there were 2 serious accidents within 24 hours of each other last weekend.
Terry, I’d also agree with the comments others have made in relation to your post. Uncaring and unproductive in terms of addressing the issue raised. You may have (as you say) the ‘T-shirt’ but that comment alone comes across as insensitive to those who have lost someone close to them and who I’m certain still feel very raw given the recentness of this tragic accident.
Sharon, my sincerest sympathies to you and your family for Ade’s loss, he was a good guy and cut down way too soon.
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You may feel that I appear unsensitive and uncaring,that is what it is, an appearence,I have lost too many relatives and friends as a result of collisions, sometimes you have to put up the hardened barriers to survive just to get through to tomorrow let alone next year, hopefully you will never have that situation to deal with, as I say I’ve had that T shirt time and time again.
You can place whatever signs and restrictions you want on any road, if somebody decides to ignore them that is it, the only way of curbing anothers driving prowess is by police enforcement, as I said I drive on the road almost on a daily basis, in the past 18mths I have seen one officer ( a CSO) between Shrewsbury and Newport, that is hardly going to put the fear of god in anyone.
Get yourself around most towns and you will see countless traffic infringements by drivers and riders, just because you put a few signs up doesn’t mean everyone suddenly turns into Mother Theresa. You may drive within the law yourself, it doesn’t mean everyone else does.
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The problem with enforcement alone is that it doesn’t significantly reduce the risk presented by road ‘misuse’ because it only comes into play when misuse is identified. However by that point it is already too late, the unsafe act has occurred giving the opportunity for an accident or incident to unfold.
If you want to reduce accidents then you have to take the opportunity for misuse away or reduce it(eliminate or reduce the risk), be it by road design/redesign at the high risk locations. That’s where the focus should be.
So you’d generally be correct in saying that signage or road marking won’t make much of a difference but the effect that enforcement would make would also be severly limited because the road cannot be effectively policed 24/7.
One final note, you may have become hardened to such events but others haven’t and this will possibly be the first time that they will have had to deal with such a tragic and life changing event. Your comments may be misunderstood but equally they come across as lacking compassion at a time when it is needed the most.
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My Thoughts are with you and your family Sharon, Ade was a great guy. I miss him every day.
As a motorbike rider my self and i often travel that road to my sisters, many a time have i had to move to the side because of cars taking over me at high speeds or had to slow right down becasue of cars over taking in the opposite direction.
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REF. My previous letter, and original news article.
Alice Dilly and Malcolm Bell both work for Shropshire Council, It seems a perfect example of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing.
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