Calls for action after four deaths on main Ripon to Harrogate road
Police at the scene of last week's triple fatality.
Residents and councillors have called for action after the latest spate of deaths on the main road between Ripon[1] and Harrogate[2].
A mother and two children were killed on the A61 Ripon Road last Sunday, eight days after a 59-year-old man died.
Both incidents occurred near South Stainley — prompting calls for safety measures around the village, including a reduction in the 60mph speed limit.
South Stainley resident Rebecca Brewins lost both parents when their vehicle was hit by a lorry on the A61 at South Stainley 11 years ago.
Ms Brewins and husband Carl have contacted North Yorkshire Council, which is the highways authority, Julian Smith, the Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon and South Stainley-with-Cayton Parish Council[3] to enlist support following the latest deaths.
The Brewins, whose house is directly off the A61, said they were aware of at least seven fatal crashes on the road around South Stainley in recent years and the “horrendous” death toll could no longer be ignored.
Mr Brewins said the volume of traffic and the wide range of A61 road users that include tractors, cyclists, lorries and cars created particular problems on the winding route.
The short overtaking lane on a bend.
The road is mainly single carriageway but a short overtaking lane on a bend near the Brewins’ home exacerbated problems by encouraging reckless manoeuvres and sudden bursts of speed, he added.
Mr Brewins said:
“The road is getting busier — we are getting more houses and more cars.
“If a strip of road a mile long outside your house has seven deaths, surely you have to do something.”
Ms Brewins said she was told after her parents died the accident statistics didn’t justify traffic calming measures.
But she said crashes were common on the A61, particularly between South Stainley and Ripley, where the speed limit is 60mph. The speed limit varies between 40mph and 60mph in the opposite direction towards Ripon.
Ms Brewins said the road was a constant source of worry:
“When my eldest daughter learned to drive I was a nervous wreck. She got an electric car so it wouldn’t stall when she pulled out on to the road.
“While the limit is 60mph it encourages people to constantly speed up and slam on their brakes.”
Traffic is allowed to drive at 60mph through the area.
Villagers ‘traumatised’ by fatal crashes
Jane Pickering, chairman of South Stainley-with-Cayton Parish Council, said villagers had been “traumatised” by the latest fatal accidents and frustrated by the lack of action.
She said villagers had tried to help victims while emergency services were on their way and were left overwhelmed by shock and grief.
Ms Pickering questioned why lower speeds were permitted in other villages along the route, such as Wormald Green, but South Stainley remained at 60mph. She said:
“We have been flagging this issue for years.
“I will be taking this up again on behalf of the parish until something is done about it.”
The 36 bus stop at South Stainley.
Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, a Liberal Democrat whose Masham and Fountains division includes South Stainley, pledged support.
She told the Stray Ferret on Tuesday:
“I have spoken to the chair of the parish council today, and assured her I will be doing all that I can at County Hall to support the introduction of as many traffic calming and speed control measures as are necessary to make the road safer and – I hope – to avoid any more tragic accidents.”
Speed review
The Stray Ferret asked the council for data on road accidents around South Stainley and what action it planned to take in light of the recent spate of deaths.
A council accident graph said there had been 10 fatal accidents on the A61 since 2007.
Barrie Mason, the council’s assistant director of highways and transformation, said road safety was a priority and his thoughts were with the families and friends of recent victims.
He said the council worked with road safety partners across the county to make the roads safer, adding:
“We recently committed to undertaking a series of speed limit reviews across the county and the A61, along with other routes, will be investigated to see whether existing speed limits are appropriate.
“We are liaising with North Yorkshire Police as investigations into the fatal accidents are carried out. We cannot comment further before these investigations are complete.”
A council spokesperson said signs indicating the number of casualties on the road were removed more than 10 years ago.
The spokesperson added:
“They quickly became out of date, and in that location deemed to be a potentially dangerous obstruction on the road.”
They added the council had received five complaints relating to road safety concerns on this stretch of road over the last year and “most” had been in the last week.
We also asked Julian Smith, the Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, for his views on what should be done but did not receive a response.
Police are still appealing for witnesses to last weekend’s crash and dashcam footage.
You can email [email protected][4] or call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and pass on information for incident 12230166439.