South Gloucestershire | Archive | 2005 | December | 9
From the archive, first published Friday 9th Dec 2005.
A ROAD safety investigation is to take place in Winterbourne following a series of car accidents in the last two months.
Residents of the village requested the inspection, to be carried out by a road safety engineering team, after a report from South Gloucestershire Council's Highways department revealed the large amount of accidents on the B4058 Winterbourne Hill Road.
The stretch of road causing concern - the hill between Winterbourne and Hambrook - has two sharp bends and has seen three accidents in the past eight weeks.
The report from the Highways department showed that there had been four serious accidents, which had resulted in injuries, on the road in a three-year period between June 2002 and 2005.
South Gloucestershire and Winterbourne parish councillor John Godwin said the road had become extremely dangerous in recent years for both motorists and pedestrians.
"I have written to ask the road safety engineering team to conduct an investigation into the safety of Winterbourne Hill Road and to possibly develop and put down some solutions to slow the traffic down," he said.
Residents in the village claim that although the speed limit changes from 40mph to 30mph when coming into the village from Hambrook, the general speed of the majority of vehicles exceeds that limit.
There is also concern that cars parked on the kerbside are causing motorists to swing wide on to the other side of the road.
"The road is very dangerous because of the range of vehicles that use it and the hazardous overtaking and speeding that takes place," said Cllr Godwin. "The fact is, we need something to be done now before something really serious happens."
The road is used by commuters from Winterbourne, Frampton Cotterell and other villages to access the Avon Ring Road and M32.
Spokesman for South Gloucestershire Council Mat Rees said that once a review had been conducted, changes could well take place.
"We hope to carry out a review of a stretch of the road at Winterbourne Hill," he said.
"It is hoped the study of the accidents in that area will ascertain whether any engineering works can be carried out to improve safety for pedestrians and motorists."
© Newsquest Media Group 2008