Safe Speed Forums

Council's U-turn on speed safety measures for Barry Docks Link Road
7:40am Thursday 15th April 2010

PLANS to fund certain safety measures on the Barry Dock Link Road have been scrapped by the Vale Council.
After months of discussing the installation details of a police observation point and a high-tech camera at the accident blackspot, officers at the council’s transport department have this week confirmed that the measures will not now go ahead.
A council spokesperson said: "A speed survey undertaken by the Safety Camera Partnership between September 7 and October 6, 2009, revealed that speed was not an issue at the junction with Coldbrook Road East – and that the location would not, therefore, fit the criteria for either a permanent or mobile safety camera site.
"A speed survey undertaken by the council between November 2 and 9, 2009, confirmed these findings."
The shock announcement is a u-turn on promises made just three months ago, when Vale Council operational manager Paul Gay confirmed the work would be going ahead.

At the time he said: "A number of options for the lay-by are being considered by the authority's highways design staff and the Police.
"A decision on the most appropriate is expected shortly and this should allow construction to progress this financial year.
"Discussions regarding the specification, installation and future operation of the surveillance camera are ongoing between the council's traffic management engineers, the Police and the Safety Camera Partnership."

But with the new financial year under way, and no work going ahead other than the completed resurfacing and kerb realignment, the Barry & District News asked the council when the work would begin – and was told that the plans had changed.
It was revealed that while £42,000 has been spent on resurfacing works and other minor alterations, a further £17,000 has been spent on a consultant who will advise the cabinet on alternative safety measures.
The change of plan will infuriate the 2,000-plus mostly Vale residents who have signed an online campaign to make the road safer.
Many of the members are friends or relatives of motorists who have died or been injured on the road.

Retired driver and long-term campaigner for safety measures, Ceri Rowlands, says he despairs at the ongoing delays.
"The council is going around in circles - all the money that has been spent on advice, investigations and discussions, and they all come to nothing," he said.
"The money should have been spent on a roundabout in the beginning - the death count on the road is going to go on and on until then.
"I didn't have much faith in a viewing point or a speed camera, but it was a start.
"It is a tragedy every time someone is killed on that road because it could have been avoided," he added.
"No major safety measures have been implemented on that road in 20 years. The death count will keep rising."
Councillors who campaigned, and thought they had secured, the speed camera and lay-by are also bitterly disappointed by the decision.

Cllr Neil Moore for the Cadoc ward said: "We still want a reduced speed limit, despite them saying that it is not necessary."
"We will not give up as we believe safety has to come first and no more lives should be lost, no matter what it costs.”
The consultant's report on the alternative safety measures is to be presented to cabinet on April 28.
Since 2004, official figures show there have been five deaths and 34 injuries on the road.

TIMELINE
* 2004: Motorcyclist Ian Bull killed at the junction
* 2005: Council commissions independent Junction and Accident Investigation Report in response to previous crashes and suggests short and long-term measures including traffic lights or roundabout. Speed reduced to 50mph from 60mph.
* May 2006: Dad-of-four Jason Philp killed at junction. Coroner writes to council suggesting measures are taken to prevent u-turns being illegally made on the road. The council says the only option is an 'impractical' physical barrier.
* July 7-28, 2006: During this period 124 vehicles observed making illegal u-turns.
* 2006-7: £108,000 spent on signs, road markings, surface of the lane-merge.
* March 2009: 80-year-old Ena Delaney and Christopher Salter, 31, killed in a crash near the junction.
* September 2009: 20-year-old dad Ceri Godwin killed.
* January 2010: Council and police discuss types of camera and police viewing area.
* February 2010: Online group calling for safety measures attracts more than 2,000 members.
* March 2010: Resurfacing work and minor alterations completed.
* April 2010 – Vale council says the road does not warrant a camera or police viewing point.