A346 crashes spark calls for action over potholes in road
A 12-year-old was rushed to hospital following a crash on the A346 at Cadley, south of Marlborough, shortly after noon on Saturday, March 9.[1]
Locals have previously voiced fears that the “poor condition” of the busy route, both north and south of Marlborough, combined with the speed of traffic makes it dangerous.
Saturday’s crash involved a large lorry and a car.
One witness, who arrived at the scene during the aftermath of the collision, says the lorry driver informed them they had lost control of the vehicle after hitting a pothole near the Postern Hill Campsite.
They said: “The lorry and load completely jack-knifed with the lorry facing towards the road and the load facing the trees still smoking.
“It sheared the fuel tank clean off.
“As the lorry was going across the road an ongoing car was swerving to avoid it, unfortunately, the whole front passenger side collided.
“The whole of the car on the left had completely caved inwards.”
Police attended the scene and closed the road while emergency services worked to resolve the incident.
The road closure remained in place on the A346 for a number of hours.
During this time, fire crews worked to free a casualty from the car.
A spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said: “We were called to a collision on the A346 at Cadley at 12.25pm (Saturday, March 9).
“A lorry and a car were involved in a collision.
“A 12-year-old passenger in the car was taken to Bristol Children’s Hospital with serious injuries.”
The scene of the second crash (Image: Getty/Google Maps)
Just three days later, the road was closed by police again for another collision, this time near Ogbourne St George between Marlborough and Swindon.[2]
The four-vehicle smash took place at around 11am and shut the road for six hours.
Two people were taken to Great Western Hospital following the incident.
The second crash in a matter of days sparked more calls for action from residents.
One said: “Not the potholes or the broken edges to the roads… it will need a few people to die before they do anything to sort the roads out.”
Another added: “Sadly in my 20 years in the fire service I had more deaths on this road than any other, but I can’t think of any caused by the road, but by driving errors unfortunately.”
Wiltshire Council has been approached for comment.
References
- ^ A 12-year-old was rushed to hospital following a crash on the A346 at Cadley, south of Marlborough, shortly after noon on Saturday, March 9. (www.gazetteandherald.co.uk)
- ^ Just three days later, the road was closed by police again for another collision, this time near Ogbourne St George between Marlborough and Swindon. (www.gazetteandherald.co.uk)