The Highways Agency are planning on introducing a number of warning signs on a stretch of the A46 north of Bath which has seen many serious crashes over the past few years.
Courtesy of @CllrGeoffWard
This comes after discussions between Bath & North East Somerset Council and the Highways Agency last year which considered the accident record on the A46 at Hartley Bends.
The Highways Agency said at the time that they would have to bid for funds to invest in measures to address this problem during 2013/14.
Though the announcement that they are to install the warning signs on the stretch of road has finally arrived, local residents have been asking whether two deaths this year on the A46 could have been avoided if warning measures had already been installed.
A spokesperson from the Highways Agency told us: “In order to improve the safety of road users on the A46, the Highways Agency will install six static signs warning of bends ahead between Cold Ashton and Batheaston.
“In addition, two electronic vehicle activated signs will be put up on the approaches to Hartley bends displaying a bend symbol and warning drivers to slow down. All these additional signs will be installed in the early part of 2014 before 1st April although the exact dates of the installation have not yet been finalised.
“Any further reduction of the speed limit would have to be supported by key stakeholders including the police and local authority.
“There is currently no clear evidence that a further reduction of the speed limit would deliver a worthwhile improvement to safety.”
An A46 Route Safety Study was undertaken by the Highway Agency in 2011 and recommended signing and road marking improvements and high friction surface on the route.
No changes to the speed limit on the A46 were proposed during the study, though ‘travelling too fast for conditions’ is one of the main causes of incidents on the A46, according to Avon and Somerset Police.
