Safe Speed Forums

‘Speed track’ camera plea after two killed in a week
Feb 22 2010 by Darren Devine, Western Mail
Fatal crash Deeside

CALLS have been made for additional speed cameras on an accident blackspot which has claimed the lives of two motorists in the space of a week.
A 26-year-old man was killed in the early hours of yesterday morning on Sealand Road, in Deeside, around 500 yards from the scene of an accident that claimed the life of 18-year-old Welsh high jumper Danny Evans last Monday.
The dead man was named last night as Carl Liam Sutton from Connah’s Quay.
Local Flintshire councillor Christine Jones is concerned at incidents of speeding along the A548 road, which for most of its two-mile length between Queensferry and Chester is a 60mph straight single carriageway.
She is demanding additional speed cameras on the road, which she says was icy and covered in mud from nearby farms at the time of the latest accident at 3.45am yesterday morning.
At the moment the road is policed by only one speed camera – at Blacon, in Chester.
In the latest incident a red MG ZR left the road and hit a tree. The driver was killed.

Mrs Jones, 50, said: “They speed along that section, trying to overtake one another.
“They’re young lads in their cars, but not just young lads because I’ve seen all age groups doing it. They shoot along there with no sense of safety and because it’s such a long stretch it’s easy to build up speed.”
Mrs Jones of Garden City, Sealand, said the road could also be better illuminated and is demanding improved lighting.
She added: “It happened near what we used to call Bees Nurseries by Deeside Lane and it’s a notorious spot for accidents.”
Following Mr Evans’ death last week an 18-year-old was arrested and bailed on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Three others were taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital following last week’s accident.
Of these one has since been transferred to Whiston Hospital, on the Wirral, and is said to be in a stable condition, while another man remains at the Countess of Chester.
Businesswoman Christine Price, who works just yards from the scene of the latest tragedy, said many now want to see the speed limit on the road cut from 60mph to 40mph.
She said there’s a gentle bend on one section of the road that some drivers fail to treat as cautiously as they ought to.

Mrs Price, 60, who runs the Elms Hotel, said: “It happened right by our second gate just on the bend and that’s where he seems to have gone off the road. There was also a fatal accident there around four years ago.
“I’ve been talking to the customers today and most of them say the speed limit should be reduced.”
Flintshire County Council’s transport spokesman Tony Sharps said they will wait for the outcome of the accident investigation before deciding whether to take any action.
He said: “We need to know the reasons why the accident has happened and if it is the fault of the road then we’ll do something about it. We have to look into the details of it.”
A spokesperson for North Wales Police said: “The male driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The car is thought to have left the road and collided with a tree.”
Mrs Jones will hand in a letter to Flintshire County Council’s highway’s department today calling for more cameras.

She is demanding additional speed cameras on the road, which she says was icy and covered in mud from nearby farms at the time of the latest accident at 3.45am yesterday morning.

And a speed camera detecting people exceeding the 60MPH would have done what exactly to prevent this accident (which may well have still happened at 40MPH) Ms Jones?

Being fair: there was no mention of any of those drivers exceeding that speed limit.

Perhaps the Council may listen to the Road Traffic Investigators and understand the true cause of the accident, whatever that is and apply all appropriate engineering and other services or facilities required.

She is demanding additional speed cameras on the road, which she says was icy and covered in mud from nearby farms at the time of the latest accident at 3.45am yesterday morning.

It is utterly tragic to see that through lack of proper guidance of road safety messages, that motorists are failing to observe understand and respond appropriately to conditions that were so obviously in need of much greater care.

It is compounded by the locals believing that they understand about road safety enough to decide that in fact a lower speed will simply stop all road errors - mirroring the propaganda officially dished out. Their mistaken believe that speed is the total measure of safety, and that they are capable of judging the instant solution. Very sad.

...I always wonder where the 'the locals' get the impression that they are sufficiently qualified to come to their cockamamie conclusions.
...

The next thing you know they will be starting up a website claiming they are road safety experts saying the general public have no idea about road safety!

It is utterly tragic to see that through lack of proper guidance of road safety messages, that motorists are failing to observe understand and respond appropriately to conditions that were so obviously in need of much greater care.

It is compounded by the locals believing that they understand about road safety enough to decide that in fact a lower speed will simply stop all road errors - mirroring the propaganda officially dished out. Their mistaken believe that speed is the total measure of safety, and that they are capable of judging the instant solution. Very sad.

The next thing you know they will be starting up a website claiming they are road safety experts saying the general public have no idea about road safety!

The next thing you know they will be starting up a website claiming they are road safety experts saying the general public have no idea about road safety!

Greenshed, take a look at my name - could give you a clue as to what I do..

The next thing you know they will be starting up a website claiming they are road safety experts saying the general public have no idea about road safety!