‘Road safety measures too little, too late’
0 Comments | Grimsby Telegraph, Sep 2, 2010 | by Peter Craig
SAFETY measures for pedestrians crossing the busy A16 – where schoolgirl Lisa Burton was killed last year – will be in place by Christmas.
But Lisa’s mother, Julie Ward, who has campaigned to get motorists to “Slow Down For Lisa” ever since the 14-year-old died in a collision with a car, says it is not soon enough.
As reported, Lisa was returning home from Cordeaux School and had just got off a bus when she died crossing the road just yards from her home in Utterby on February 24 last year.
Julie, 48, who now lives in Louth, said: “The coroner said it should be 30mph and insisted there should be a pull-in for the bus, as well as a pedestrian crossing.
“This is taking too long. It is all very well them planning improvements for the bottom end of the village, but there are families with children at the top end, where Lisa was killed, who need it.
“You can’t expect children to cross there.
“We don’t want anyone else to suffer the way we have.”
This week, schoolchildren are beginning to get back into the routine of travelling to and from school.
A year ago, Louth district coroner Stuart Fisher recommended a raft of safety measures on “potentially one of the most dangerous roads in Lincolnshire”.
He said there should be a pull-in bus stop, a pedestrian crossing, better signs and better markings on the road, which carries about 17,000 vehicles every day.
His recommendations followed a petition, backed by the Grimsby Telegraph, calling for motorists to Slow Down For Lisa, which attracted support from more than 2,500 people.
Mrs Ward said highways chiefs at Lincolnshire County Council had been “slow” in getting improvements.
Lincolnshire County Coun-cil’s assistant director for highways, Paul Coathup, confirmed a pedestrian refuge – or island – will be added to the road near the A16′s junction with Church Lane by Christmas.
Utterby parish councillor Hugh Walpole said: “It will alleviate the problems of crossing the road. “The traffic is increasing more and more and there is nothing we can do about that.”
‘Reactive signs, improved marks and signage have been installed’ Following the tragic incident, I met with the coroner at the A16 location and we discussed potential improvements. Since then, reactive signs, improved road markings and signage have all been installed.
Following the purchase of adjacent land and design discussions with the parish council, a pedestrian refuge will be added at a safe crossing point, adjacent to the Church Lane junction with the A16 as it passes through the village.
The construction will take place before Christmas and will include widening the road and improved visibility at the junction.
The speed limit on the A16 through Utterby has been re-assessed under our recently revised Speed Limit Policy and national guidelines.
This shows the limit is set at the correct level, as was indicated by initial readings.
Our sincere sympathies go to Lisa”s family and friends.
We don’t want anyone else to suffer the way we have Lisa’s mum, Julie Ward