‘Average speed cameras’ after more crashes on ‘race track’ road?

A meeting is due to take place between community leaders and a transport boss following a series of crashes on the A4440 Southern Link Road in Worcester, including two at the Ketch roundabout on Saturday. John Renshaw, chairman of St Peter's Parish Council, said Green councillor Louis Stephen had been 'instrumental' in setting up the meeting, due to take place at the end of the month with Karl Perks, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways and Transport. MISSED: Marshall Myers who died following a crash at the Norton roundabout (Image: Supplied) The most significant crash led to the death of motorcyclist Marshall Myers, 22, a father of three who was on his way to a car boot sale, when he crashed into the A4440 roundabout between St Peter's Drive and Norton Road on June 15.

Cllr Renshaw said: "There were two more crashes at the weekend. Fortunately, it seems like they weren't particularly serious. Nobody was injured or hurt."

Cllr Renshaw said he hoped the meeting would involve a discussion of safety concerns at the Ketch roundabout and the Norton roundabout. However, he said discussions would be broader than this, addressing speeding along the length of the A4440 Southern Link Road from Whittington, along Crookbarrow Way, Broomhall Way and Temeside Way towards Powick.

He added: "I'm not quite sure what the answer is going to be.

I really welcome the fact that Worcestershire County Council's Karl Perks is open to coming out to see what those issues are. He seems to be open to looking this afresh. We will have to take it from there really and see what comes of it."

Cllr Louis Stephen, a Green Party councillor for Battenhall, said: "So many accidents have happened. The dual carriageway has a 60 mph limit and of course many travel a lot faster than that. "The roundabouts have been built for maximum traffic flow with fast 40 mph speed limits.

It's clear to most people that the current spate of accidents is being caused by excessive speed. I really hope we can find a solution. Reducing the speed limits and having average speed cameras could make a massive difference."

Alec Mackie, 86, of Begonia Close, Worcester, has also raised concerns about the safety of the A4440 and the Ketch roundabout in particular. "These accidents are going to keep happening unless something is done," he said. He added: "Most of the evening, the road is used as a race track."

Councillor Karl Perks, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, at Worcestershire County Council said: "I can confirm I have agreed to meet with local councillors to discuss their concerns following recent incidents at this location. "The A4440 is required to go through road safety audits at four separate stages: preliminary design, detailed design, after construction, and now during monitoring. The current stage 4 audit is reviewing accident records to identify patterns and causes of reported injuries before and after the A4440 scheme.

If any safety concerns are found, recommendations will be made and considered for action."

References

^ RECOMMENDED READING: A4440 fears as more crashes follow death of motorcyclist (www.worcesternews.co.uk)
^ RECOMMENDED READING: A4440 crash: tribute to Malvern man Marshall Myers (www.worcesternews.co.uk)