Urgent action taken in bid to make Derbyshire accident blackspot safer

Urgent action is to be taken to improve safety at a notorious accident hotspot, which has been the site of several serious and fatal collisions over several years.

Local residents on the A632 between Chesterfield and Matlock, specifically at the Span Carr crossroads, have been expressing their concerns about excessive speed for a long time, and now a new police enforcement area is to be built.

Currently, due to the layout of the road and the surrounding area, there is no safe location for police vehicles to park. Advertisement Advertisement

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However, following positive discussions, Derbyshire County Council has agreed to fund the installation of a purpose-built bay for traffic police to use their speed enforcement van. Initial planning is now underway to identify a suitable location, with completion targeted for December 2025.

Derbyshire police and crime Commissioner Nicolle Ndiweni-Roberts intervened in the situation and offered her support to parish councillors, residents and safety campaigners, including North East Derbyshire MP Louise Sandher-Jones

In April, the commissioner attended an Ashover Parish Council meeting to listen to concerns before raising the issue at the Derby and Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership Governance Board, of which she is a member.

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Ms Ndiweni-Roberts said: "This is a huge step forward and will be vital for addressing ongoing issues of speeding along this route in the future.

"Every death or serious injury on our roads is a tragedy that leaves a family and a community in mourning. Most of the serious collisions on our roads are preventable, and as community leaders we must spare no effort in reducing the risks, especially when there is clear evidence of a problem.

"I am pleased Derbyshire County Council has approved this measure and would like to thank all partners, including residents and local campaigners who have fought so passionately for change, for their hard work in securing this improvement, which could help to save lives."

Councillor Charlotte Hill, Derbyshire County Council's cabinet member for potholes, highways and transport, said: "Road safety is one of our top priorities and we continue to work hard with the police to improve road safety on this route. The funding we're providing to create a purpose-built bay for a speed enforcement van is the latest in a series of measures to help reduce the number of collisions on the A632, and we'll continue to support the police in our joint efforts to improve road safety.

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"We believe the A632 should be included in the national scheme for average speed cameras and other measures, which we hope the Government will support us with, and we continue to be in regular contact with the Department for Transport for funding for this through the national Safer Roads Fund."

The A632 runs through North East Derbyshire and has multiple dangerous points, including Kelstedge and the Span Carr junction.

MP Mrs Sandher-Jones said: "Hugely excessive speeds are regularly recorded and sadly we have seen fatal accidents.

We must work together to ensure no more lives are needlessly lost on roads."