M4 tops accident blackspot list

[J500ANT]

M4 tops accident blackspot list
Accident graphic
The M4 is the region's most accident-prone motorway
Part of the M4 is the worst accident blackspot in the West of England, a new survey has suggested.

The stretch of motorway between J20 eastbound to J18 has seen 44 reported accidents so far this year.

About 16 incidents were also registered on the westbound section of the M4 between Leigh Delamere and J18.

The A417 northbound from Birdip to The Air Balloon, Crickley Hill, has seen 17 incidents since New Year's Day, traffic information service Keep Moving said.

Since January, more than 2,600 accidents have occurred on 38 principal roads in the region, an average of 70 per road.

Alex Petrie, from Keep Moving, said: "Road safety statistics identify points where injuries or fatalities have occurred and clearly speed cameras have an extremely valuable role in reducing these statistics.

"Our research shows that the stretches of road with the highest frequency of incidents are generally motorway stretches with high volumes of users.

"In all but a few cases, speed cameras are not present on these stretches."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/6230270...

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I'm not going mad am I? These KeepMoving people www.keepmoving.co.uk want more cameras?

[alphadog]

Keep Moving said:

"Our research shows that the stretches of road with the highest frequency of incidents are generally motorway stretches with high volumes of users.

"In all but a few cases, speed cameras are not present on these stretches."

But at these times it's rare to reach the speed limit, let alone exceed it. Instead cameras are and will be deployed at quieter times when few accidents happen. Upgrade the motorway or provide cheap alternatives like the sort of cheap and efficient high speed rail network that our European neighbours enjoy that will free up the existing road.

Nah, save a few bob and bung a few cameras in.

Edited by alphadog on Friday 22 June 17:27

[dcb]

alphadog said:

provide cheap alternatives like the sort of cheap and efficient high speed rail network that our European neighbours enjoy

Cheap and efficient ?

Debatable on both points.

The Euros spend a fortune putting in high
speed rail networks, paid for through their taxes.

Are you sure enough UK taxpayers want to fund a
transport system that has been superceded
for about sixty years by something cheaper and
more efficient ?

The private car.

[alphadog]

dcb said:

alphadog said:

provide cheap alternatives like the sort of cheap and efficient high speed rail network that our European neighbours enjoy

Cheap and efficient ?

Debatable on both points.

The Euros spend a fortune putting in high
speed rail networks, paid for through their taxes.

Are you sure enough UK taxpayers want to fund a
transport system that has been superceded
for about sixty years by something cheaper and
more efficient ?

The private car.

Our fares are often 2-3 times as much for intercity travel as on the continent and I only suggest this as an alternative option to widening the M4 as some journeys - like central London are easier by rail - only if someone else (like a customer) is footing the bill, though!

I do think we could afford a superb transport network - road/rail/monorail/teleport with the money we already pay in taxes that gets spent on wars, but it's too late now. Tony bleeding Blair for you. Grrrr

Still pack 'em all in and charge by the mile!

[Chrispy Porker]

44 in six months doesn't seem many accidents
less than 2 a week on the M4 at that location, I am surprised it isn't more to be honest. Hate the place.

[philbes]

J500ANT said:

The A417 northbound from Birdip to The Air Balloon, Crickley Hill, has seen 17 incidents since New Year's Day, traffic information service Keep Moving said.

I know this bit of road well. I thought most of the accidents were occurring in southboound traffic? There is a right turn off the road towards Birdlip village which is through a central reservation. The length of the 'slip road' within the length of the central reservation is too short for the amount of traffic wanting to turn right when people are returning from work (mainly from Cheltenham) in the evening. The tail of the traffic queue is then on the single carraigeway on the brow of the hill. Two of my friends have been involved in accidents there when a vehicle has run into the back of the queue. I also usde another route at times when this junction is likely to be busy and have instructed my wife and daughters to do likewise.

Thee is a published plan to replace this bit of SC road with tunnel. Unlikely to go ahead due to the cost. This section is now the only part of the route from the M4, past Swindon and Cirenceaster, to the M5 which is not dual carraigeway.

[spaximus]

the main problem with the M4 is the appaling state the road is in. I have today for the first time in many months spent from Bristol to Newbury in lane 1, the rutting and genral disrepair is astonishing. When you get past Swindon there is a section up to Membury where the road has had a temporary repair which is coming out in lumps. I witnessed people driving around the debris at the last minute almost causing accidents. The answer will be more cameras not fixing the road or making the climbs into four lanes where needed. I can almost understand why some choose to drive in the middle lane but I couldn't condone it.

[CatherineJ]

philbes said:

J500ANT said:

The A417 northbound from Birdip to The Air Balloon, Crickley Hill, has seen 17 incidents since New Year's Day, traffic information service Keep Moving said.

I know this bit of road well. I thought most of the accidents were occurring in southboound traffic? There is a right turn off the road towards Birdlip village which is through a central reservation. The length of the 'slip road' within the length of the central reservation is too short for the amount of traffic wanting to turn right when people are returning from work (mainly from Cheltenham) in the evening. The tail of the traffic queue is then on the single carraigeway on the brow of the hill. Two of my friends have been involved in accidents there when a vehicle has run into the back of the queue. I also usde another route at times when this junction is likely to be busy and have instructed my wife and daughters to do likewise.

Thee is a published plan to replace this bit of SC road with tunnel. Unlikely to go ahead due to the cost. This section is now the only part of the route from the M4, past Swindon and Cirenceaster, to the M5 which is not dual carraigeway.[quote)

Sadly someone has died on there only this morning.

Edited by CatherineJ on Saturday 23 June 18:53

[Lostusernamedamn]

Around 100 people every week get MRSA or that other similar bug after visiting hospital and die from it. Nearly 2000 people every week die from smoking-related diseases. We need a sense of proportion here...and speed obsession isn't the answer.