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I pinged up on my Twitter ("tukkr") what looked like a nasty accident today - to warn drivers to avoid the area.  I had just finished some Driving Instructor Training in Peterborough, and was travelling North on the A15 when I saw a couple of cars that had just been in an accident at 'Kate's Bridge' near Thurlby - it's reported here and I very much hope that everyone concerned is not seriously injured.  I have witnessed many accidents in my time due to my work in a previous career, but it gets no easier to witness the immediate aftermath.

I see that they are widening the exit slip road leading to Boongate Roundabout which the Peterborough Evening Telegraph is describing here as the 'Worst accident blackspot'.  And that was where one of my ex-Learners (who was then a Full Licence Holder), was desperately unlucky to be at that precise location when a chap decided to drive out of slow moving traffic (backed up from Boongate Roundabout all the way up to the dual carraigeway), and in doing so created a pile up of several cars as he did not take adequate observations before making the lane change.  Despite her car actually flipping on to it's roof, I thank God that she actually survived with minor physical injuries (although the psychological injury will be substantial).

It's a fine balance between driving standards and road design (the A15 does seem to attract a lot of serious accidents though).  I personally find it very hard to remain calm when I hear 'academics' in road safety speak of expected levels of accidents.  I have had cause to contact Clair George (Road Safety Officer for Peterborough City Council) a few times for different reasons, and she has quoted to me 'normal' numbers of accidents for given volumes of traffic.

Take for example that short and very steep downhill entry slip road on Nene Parkway (a dual carraigeway) between the Holiday Inn hotel and Gordon Arms pub.  What a nightmare.  Drivers barge themselves on to the dual carraigeway (not giving way as they should), which forces many vehicles to veer into lane 2, and then if the poor driver wants to exit at the Gordon Arms exit, they have to then somehow find a way to get back to lane 1 having just been shoved in to lane 2.  If you want to literally see some footage of that happening in real life, just watch this video forward it to 2mins 20 secs and literally watch this 'barging' going on in real time.  That situation is not good for a few reasons:

1.  The vehicles on the steep downward slip road are actually gathering speed when they may very well need to be DECREASING speed to potentially give way to traffic in lanes 1 & 2.
2.  The elevated position on the slip road (coupled with shrubs/bushes/trees) makes it difficult for drivers to see vehicles already on the parkway.
3. The slip road is deceptively short which surprises many drivers on it.
4.  At night time the Council have a tendency to turn off lights on the dual carraigeway reducing visibility.

It must be said that if drivers were to inappropriately FORCE themselves on to the dual carriageway on their driving test, they would fail the test, so education/driving standards do have a part to play with this problem.

However, I asked the Council if they could just put up a sign or 2 on the entry slip reminding/emphasising drivers' obligation to 'give way' to traffic already on the dual carriageway - I was informed that EU policy dictated that far from increasing signage the Council were actively reducing signage.

When I asked why are the lights being switched off, I was told that not only is it 'greener' to have less light pollution (which is another EU directive), but it's cheaper for the Council too.

These entry/exit points on our dual carraigeways are very hazardous and there are actions (that need not be expensive) that could prevent some accidents.  

If you agree with any of the above and want to take positive action, then contact the Council, here are details of a variety of ways of doing that.  I also let the Evening Telegraph know, as I did here

What are your views on this blog?  Any comments please add below.


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