The findings, highlighted in a report at next week’s Cabinet meeting (21/09/23), follow a major 4-week public consultation earlier this year, including two public exhibitions at the Cromford Community Centre, an online questionnaire and letter drops to local residents in Cromford, Bonsall, Grange Mill, Pikehall, Newhaven and Ible.
Funding for the proposals has come from the Department for Transport’s Safer Roads Fund to improve safety along the 50 most dangerous roads in the country.
In total, we received 248 responses to the consultation from the exhibitions and the online questionnaire.
Of those who responded to the consultation, 70% were in favour of reducing the speed limits along the route and the introduction of 9 new average speed cameras.
Support from residents living next to the road was very strong, gained from first-hand experience of people driving at excessive speeds.
The consultation results showed positive support for other safety improvements along the route including:
- improving the road markings along the route to alert drivers to keep in the right lane and to stay on the road surface
- changing the A5012 junction with Clatterway leading into Bonsall to reduce vehicle speeds by installing a new traffic island at the junction to make it easier and safer for pedestrians to cross the road
- installing new traffic signals at the Grange Mill crossroads to reduce traffic collisions.
Councillor Charlotte Cupit, Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport said:
“I’d like to thank the local community and residents who took part in our consultation for their excellent ideas and feedback.
“Overall, the feedback was very positive and underlines the importance of making local roads safer for local people.
“We have carefully considered additional ideas and suggestions put forward during the consultation and, where we can, will do our best to take these on board, including ideas to improve the A515/A5012 Newhaven junction with a new, separate right turn only lane.
“I’m looking forward to starting work on this major safety scheme as soon as we can as part of our focus on making roads across Derbyshire safer for everyone who uses them.”
Following a number of residents’ comments, we intend to undertake a detailed study to look at potential improvements to the A515/A5012 junction at Newhaven, to identify a cost-effective solution.
Subject to agreement at next week’s Cabinet meeting, work is likely to start next year subject to final site surveys, feedback from statutory consultees, the appointment of contractors and weather conditions.