To discuss road safety issues concerning the A49 trunk road in Herefordshire.

The Committee discussed road safety issues concerning the A49 trunk road in Herefordshire.

The Head of Highways and Transportation reported that the Highways Agency had been invited to the meeting but were unable to attend.  The Highways Agency had produced a statement entitled; “A49 Trunk Road: accidents at Ashton and A49 Route Management Strategy Between Ross-on-Wye and Shrewsbury”.  This was issued to Members at the meeting.

The statement outlined the position taken by the Agency following the accidents at Ashton in the North of the County.  It stated that inspections at the site of the accidents had concluded that that particular section of the A49 did not have a high accident record.  The statement also briefly outlined the undertaking of a Route Management Strategy Study (RMS) for the A49 between Ross-on-Wye and Shrewsbury.  The Strategy also detailed safety schemes undertaken since April 2002 and further schemes valued at £650,000 for completion by April 2005.

The Chairman invited Councillor J. Stone (Upton ward) to speak as Local Member for the Ashton area.  Councillor Stone reported upon the number of recent accidents, both fatal and unreported, at Ashton.  He highlighted not only the devastating effect accidents had upon the families and local community, but the consequential disruption caused to the local transport network due to the closure of the road; the effect upon villages due to resultant diversions and the damage caused to roads and verges by HGVs using the diversions.

Councillor J.G.S. Guthrie (Sutton Walls ward mainly adjoining the A49) raised a number of issues including: the reinstatement of the vehicle restraint barrier and provision of escape space at “Bungalow Bend” Dinmore Hill; the siting of speed restrictions at Burghope; siting of a speed camera on the south side of Dinmore Hill; the reinstatement of Deer warning signs at Queenswood; the reconsideration of the Dinmore Hill and Wellington Marsh avoidance route; the direction signage at Burghope Lane (U92623); the latest position concerning the provision of a roundabout at the northern end of Morton Park and the redesigning of the Morton Road, A49, the Morton Village Road and Ordnance Close.

Councillor J.W. Newman highlighted various problem areas including the speed of vehicles on the Callow and overgrown hedges which impeded pedestrians.

Councillor P.J. Edwards (Cabinet Member – Environment) commented that there were issues with other trunk roads and highlighted the need to extend the 30 mph speed limit near Tesco, Belmont. 

Comment was also made regarding the difficulty in contacting the Highways Agency, both by telephone and by e-mail.

The Committee noted that the RMS, being a technique to provide a strategic framework for managing individual trunk roads over a ten-year period, was due to be published before Christmas.

In the absence of the Highways Agency from the meeting, the Committee requested that the Head of Highways and Transportation collate from all Members the various issues concerning the A49 and request the Highways Agency to attend a meeting of the Committee to answer the issues raised.

RESOLVED: That following consultation with all Members the Head of Highways and Transportation collate the various issues raised and request the Highways Agency to attend a future meeting.