Lincolnshire Council Approves 50mph Speed Limit at Dangerous Junction
Lincolnshire County Council has backed proposals to slash the national speed limit to 50mph at a notorious accident hotspot on a major road. The decision targets the junction of Fulney Drove and Mill Drove North near Spalding, where safety concerns have escalated due to multiple crashes.
High Accident Rates Prompt Action
According to council data, there have been 11 reported injury accidents at this location over the past five years, leading officials to classify it as an "accident cluster site." Councillor Charlotte Vernon emphasized the severity, calling the statistics a "huge number" of incidents and stating the council "should do anything we can to reduce them."
The proposals, approved at a council meeting on Monday, will reduce the speed limit from 60mph (96km/h) to 50mph (80km/h) in all directions approaching the junction. This move follows recommendations from the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership as part of a broader accident reduction plan.
Previous Safety Measures Ineffective
A council report acknowledged that earlier engineering interventions, such as enhanced warning signage and changes to road markings, have failed to lower the high rate of accidents. Councillor Tom Sneath highlighted the road's dangerous conditions, noting, "The road is exceedingly narrow – it's just about passable by two lorries if they're going very slow."
He further described the junction as a blind corner, recounting a near-miss incident: "I've turned up milliseconds after a car had pulled out and clipped another car. It's a blind corner, so you can't really see. You can end up with cars barrel-rolling down the road because they're going 60mph."
Council Admits Growing Safety Issues
The council has admitted awareness of a growing problem with vehicles overshooting the junction when entering from side roads. Despite the lack of a public consultation so far, local councillors have supported advancing the legal process to implement the speed limit reduction.
This initiative reflects ongoing efforts to improve road safety in Lincolnshire, addressing persistent hazards at critical locations. The council aims to mitigate risks and prevent future accidents through this targeted speed reduction.
