Worcestershire residents urge council to enhance road safety following fatal collision

Following a fatal collision in Worcestershire, residents residing close to the incident site are appealing to the county council for enhanced road safety measures. The incident occurred on Tuesday, involving a coach and a car on the B4208 near Welland, resulting in the death of a woman in her 20s and critical injuries to a man in his 30s. Duncan Williams, a local resident who frequently uses the crossroads for his commute, stated, “Enough’s enough,” adding, “We’re all in fear that it could be one of us one of these days.” The county council indicated that it is awaiting a police report before determining the necessity of any modifications. Mr Williams identified the Danemoor crossroads, the site of the recent crash, as an accident black spot and expressed a desire for the installation of traffic lights. Jake Smith, an HGV driver who regularly traverses the crossroads, concurred with this assessment. He recalled an incident eighteen months prior where he aided an elderly couple whose vehicle had overturned. Smith commented, “It’s really upsetting… I just wish [the council] would do something about it. There are many, many near misses on that crossroads.” He concluded, “It needs to be looked into.” Mr Smith further noted that the crossroads’ hazard level increases when it serves as an alternative route during flooding or when major events, such as the Three Counties Show, are taking place. He explained that determining right of way becomes challenging when multiple vehicles are waiting to make a turn. Smith asserted, “Any risk could be taken away just by simply putting a set of traffic lights up.” Worcestershire County Council issued a statement saying: “Our thoughts remain with those affected by last week’s incident.” The council added that “Changes have previously been made to improve the junction’s visibility, and we await the full police report to inform any further action that may be taken”. For updates, follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.