Community comes together to call for urgent road safety funding
Councillors, MPs, headteachers and a pub landlord have joined together to call for road safety improvements at a notorious blackspot ahead of a key funding decision from the Government.
Helen Morgan, MP for North Shropshire, coordinated the letter to Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, urging her to include works to redesign Llynclys Crossroads and make the A483 safer in future funding.
A decision on what proposed road schemes will get a green light under the third Road Investment Strategy will be made in the coming weeks and the MP said the Government had the chance to commit to improvements “before the unthinkable happens”.
Llynclys Crossroads has been described as one of the worst accident blackspots in the country and National Highways have long recommended the junction be subject to safety improvement works.
Plans to install a roundabout have been drawn up and if approved will be the first intervention to halt frequent collisions in decades.
Helen has long-campaigned for change at the crossroads, and for improvements through Pant, where pedestrians have to navigate narrow pavements next to a route used by large lorries and where speeding is common.
Helen said: “There are crashes at this junction on an almost weekly basis and the Government now has the chance to provide the safety measures our communities so desperately need.
“The strength of feeling is clear from this letter. The community is on board, National Highways are on board, all we need is for the Government to commit the funds.”
The joint letter is signed by neighbouring MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, Steve Witherden, as well as councillors from the local area and Shropshire Council, alongside headteachers of The Marches School and Bryn Offa Primary School.
A packed public meeting, held late last year and organised by Helen, heard how schoolchildren had created drawings featuring scenes depicting the daily dangers faced by children having to cross the road near the junction.
The drawings were shared with the Secretary of State and Bryn Offa headteacher, Celine Keleher, said: “The safety of our children, families and staff must always come first. Many members of our school community travel this road daily, and pupils regularly cross at Llynclys crossroads to catch the bus to secondary school.
“Earlier this year, our children even shared their concerns by writing letters which they took to London. Securing Government funding to improve safety at this junction must be a priority for the wellbeing of our children and the wider community.”
In the joint letter, signatories highlight the serious collisions that take place at the crossroads on a regular basis.
Many drivers have been injured in incidents that require a police, ambulance, air ambulance and firefighter response.
Not only do these crashes have a serious human cost, the letter states, but also a “serious economic cost” through congestion, delays and lengthy detours.
Landlord Steve Sant has also signed the letter. His White Lion pub sits on the crossroads and staff regularly witness collisions, and have previously been forced to tend to casualties before the emergency services arrive.
CCTV footage from the pub’s cameras has previously shown a horrific series of crashes – including two crashes within two hours and one in which toddlers had to be dragged to safety.
Helen added: “This should have been sorted years ago and it’s now up to the Government to show it is serious about investing in road safety.
“We know that a bypass is highly unlikely, so the plans developed by National Highways represent the best way forward for all those who drive, walk and cycle through the area.”
