Roundabout costs revealed

Accidents at the Ketley Brook roundabout in Telford have cost the local economy more than £800,000 it was revealed today.

The six-figure sum is just one of the reasons given by council chiefs in the first in-depth justification of the new £300,000 traffic scheme to be made public.

Motorist David Barnett, 67, made a formal complaint to Telford & Wrekin Council about the measures after narrowly avoiding a car accident there two weeks ago.

The new measures at the roundabout include eight sets of traffic lights and four pedestrian crossings.Mr Barnett's complaint sparked an in-depth response from John Charles, the council's traffic management team leader.

In a letter to Mr Barnett, Mr Charles says the work follows 13 injury accidents in the last five years and concerns expressed with regards to pedestrian and cycling movements around the junction.

He says Ketley Brook has one of the worst records in the borough and says the scheme will improve road safety - and the accident record - by removing conflicting traffic movements.

He said the scheme was funded by central government through the Local Transport Plan and the cost of £300,000 was "interesting" when compared with the cost of accidents at the island.

Investment

Explaining Central Government-produced statistics quantifying the cost of an accident on the community and the current cost of an accident was £62,000, he says: "The total cost to the local economy caused by accidents that have occurred at Ketley Brook is £806,000.

"Therefore I do not consider the capital investment is a waste of money."

Mr Charles also says the traffic lights had been carefully monitored and, following changes to timings, delays have been reduced and people were beginning to understand the layout and benefits provided.

But Mr Barnett today said he was "not impressed" by the council response.

The retired BT manager, from Midfields, Arleston, disagreed with the projected cost of the accidents - claiming this calculation included motorway smashes.

He said: "Thirteen injury accidents on an island carrying that much traffic in five years tells me it was a pretty good island - not one of the worst accident blackspots in Telford."

By Becky Parkinson