I MUST express my dismay at the reported proposal by the Worcestershire County Council highways partnership unit to make permanent the current coned-off single lane of the Worcester carriageway of the Droitwich by-pass.
I do understand that it must always be extremely upsetting for the family and friends of anyone killed or injured in a road crash. However, before making reactive decisions to close a lane, the highways decision makers should surely remind themselves of the many thousands of motorists who have driven and ridden the same route without mishap. These numbers must indicate that the few collisions that do occur must be through lack of attention and poor judgement of the conditions at the time.
I expect that the police will have done its usual thorough investigation and made their recommendations, but surely this proposal to close one lane is over-drastic without considering alternatives. If the road surface gives poor traction, this is replaceable and the use of a special high-grip surface should be considered. If the camber is wrong for the bend, this can be corrected.
This particular bend is probably sharper than is found on most dual carriageways and, whilst the majority of motorists have managed to read the curvature with success, those with less experience could be helped in many ways. Advanced warning 'bend' signs, perhaps with an advisory speed, reflective white paint stripes on the kerb and 'sharp deviation' signs are all surprisingly absent. As the most serious crashes appear to involve "cross-overs" into the opposite carriageway, why are there no central crash barriers?
With reference to the comment on the problem of merging traffic, the completion of the original plan for a full dual carriageway appears to be the solution.
As there appear to be many sensible, but as yet un-tried, solutions to the problem without the waste of an expensive part of dual carriageway, I do wonder if the white paint of cross-hatched lane closures are being considered merely from the cost perspective.
Before completely wasting the work of the road designer and adding to traffic congestion by restricting one lane, I urge the highways engineers to make public their considerations of the alternatives with their comparative costings and to seek the views of the motoring majority.
David Wornham
Chairman, Worcestershire Group of Advanced Motorists
The Parklands
Droitwich Spa
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