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WILTSHIRE CONSTABULARY
Robert Key Esq MP
House of Commons
LONDON
SW1A 0AA
Dear Robert, A303/A344
Stonehcnge Fork
Further
to your letter dated 8 June 2004
concerning a fatal road traffic collision on the A303 at
the Stonehenge Fork on Saturday 29 May 2004. This incident
is
still under investigation by officers from the Traffic Department
here at Salisbury.
The circumstances
of the collision suggest that the driver of the vehicle appears
to have made an illegal
left turn
from the junction. This driver was very seriously injured
and has
not yet been able to speak. Speed has not been a factor
in this case and collision history at this location shows
that
it is frequently illegal driving manoeuvres that arc the
cause.
Following
this incident Inspector Williams, of the divisional Traffic
Department, discussed this junction with
a representative
from the Highways Agency. A full traffic management
report is in the process of being prepared and a meeting
will
be held between the Divisional Traffic Department, Wiltshire
County
Council and the Highways Agency to discuss the findings.
I do not
consider that 30 mph is appropriate for this section of road
and further it does not meet the criteria
for such
a speed limit and would be likely to cause frustration
and confusion to motorists.
For your
information I have outlined below the procedure and some
of the findings to
be considered.
Criteria
for setting of speed limits:
- All requests
for a speed limit on the A303 at Stonehcnge Fork would need
to be considered by the Highways
Agency and their
managing agents, namely W S Atkins.
- The
most important factor when setting a speed limit is how
the road
appears to the road user. This is influenced
by the geometry of the road (road width, sightlines. bends,
crossings etc) and the environment through which the road
travels (rural, residential, shop frontages, schools etc).
Road users
should, and will, expect lower
speed limits where they can see there are potentially more
risks.
- To
simply make a legal order and erect speed limit signs does
not automatically ensure that there is a reduction in speed
or the potential for collisions as a
consequence.
- To influence
driver behaviour and produce a road safety benefit requires
more than the fear of prosecution.
- An additional
factor that must be considered is a realisation by the
majority
of
reasonable road users that the speed limit has been imposed
at a site which genuinely requires special protection
and has been fixed at a level which is not unrealistically
low.
- If the
A303 was managed by Wiltshire County Council, and not a
trunk road, then a 30mph speed limit would
not be
considered
due to there being no urbanized development on both
sides of the road together with noticeable pedestrian
activity.
- Speed
limits are monitored by use of the 85%ile rule. This is
the speed that is achieved by 85%
of the
traffic using
the road by way of the signed speed limit.
- Wiltshire
Constabulary fully supports all road safety measures
and works closely with the Highways
Agency.
I hope
the above answers your questions but should you require
any further information then please
do not hesitate
to contact
me.
Chief Superintendant Jeremy Wickham, BSc, MBA, Divisional
Commander 'A' |
