Action at Accident Blackspot
Wednesday, 27th November 2002.
TRAFFIC calming measures, prompted by a petition voicing fears about speeding traffic, will be provided on a busy Haverhill road.
A survey carried out in February this year showed that around 75 per cent of traffic was exceeding the speed limit.
There have been 14 injury accidents over the past three years and the Howe Road/ Withersfield Road junction has a significant accident problem.
An £80,000 scheme for Withersfield Road, introducing islands and coloured surfacing as well as reactive signs, has now been approved by members of St Edmundsbury Borough Council's Cabinet.
Funding will be provided by Suffolk County Council, as part of its Local Transport Action Plan for Haverhill, and work should start towards the end of the current financial year, which runs to April 2003.
A report to the Cabinet said a petition had been presented to the former Transport and Works Committee of the Council last November expressing concern about the speed and volume of traffic.
As humps and chicanes were not appropriate for such a main road, the other measures were proposed.
A newly developed road surface would be used instead of rumble strips, to transmit a vibration to vehicle occupants, but not increase outside noise levels.
"This proposal has arisen from the expression of local concern about the speed of traffic on Withersfield Road," the report said.
"Reducing vehicle speeds will reduce anxiety in the community and emphasise the wider need to tackle poor driving."
A survey carried out in February this year showed that around 75 per cent of traffic was exceeding the speed limit.
There have been 14 injury accidents over the past three years and the Howe Road/ Withersfield Road junction has a significant accident problem.
An £80,000 scheme for Withersfield Road, introducing islands and coloured surfacing as well as reactive signs, has now been approved by members of St Edmundsbury Borough Council's Cabinet.
Funding will be provided by Suffolk County Council, as part of its Local Transport Action Plan for Haverhill, and work should start towards the end of the current financial year, which runs to April 2003.
A report to the Cabinet said a petition had been presented to the former Transport and Works Committee of the Council last November expressing concern about the speed and volume of traffic.
As humps and chicanes were not appropriate for such a main road, the other measures were proposed.
A newly developed road surface would be used instead of rumble strips, to transmit a vibration to vehicle occupants, but not increase outside noise levels.
"This proposal has arisen from the expression of local concern about the speed of traffic on Withersfield Road," the report said.
"Reducing vehicle speeds will reduce anxiety in the community and emphasise the wider need to tackle poor driving."
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