MOTORISTS are unlikely to see any significant changes to improve road safety at the notorious A361 Frome Bypass over the next two years despite the area seeing a significant number of fatalities.
Somerset Council says it could take at least two years before any kind of significant road safety improvements are made, but it will look to see if any “cost effective” short term solutions can be found in the meantime.
The council uses injury collision data from the police to assess its future priorities for road safety campaigns and potential engineering solutions, but progress to implement significant changes to the Frome Bypass to increase safety are reliant on funding – something Somerset Council is severely lacking in the wake of its current financial emergency.
Some of the fatal incidents the area has seen recently include the death of Natasha Poore who collided with a car on the A361/A362 junction in April, which some Frome residents say is a junction they actively avoid due to the high speeds of cars travelling past it, and a three-car collision which claimed the lives of two women in May.
In July of last year, Frome sisters Maddie and Liberty North also sadly died on the A361 near the Berkley roundabout following a high-speed collision.
READ MORE: Tribute to Natasha Poore, of Evercreech, who died in A361 crash near Frome
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The MP for Frome and East Somerest, Anna Sabine, recently met with Somerset Council and Avon and Somerset Police to discuss road safety around Frome, and she says junctions such as the A361/A362 need change.
Ms Sabine said: “The meeting was very positive. I understand that there are a range of different causes for different accidents, and that any changes to the roads need to be based on evidence.
“But at the same time, it is clear to most drivers that some junctions, particularly the A361/A362, could be improved.
“I was very pleased that Somerset Council have agreed to go away and see if any short-term measures could be taken to improve safety in that location, in addition to their longer term review.
“Too many people are dying on the roads around Frome and it is an absolute priority for me that we reduce the number of collisions.”
Somerset Council said safety engineering improvements are only one element in reducing the likelihood of collisions occurring, stating education, raising awareness, and enforcement also play key roles.
It also says that it takes its responsibility to improve road safety seriously and will work with communities and stakeholders to achieve its aims.
A spokesperson for the council said: “We are looking at the A361/A362 junction as a site for future consideration within our road safety engineering programme, and we are currently finalising the analysis of the collisions recorded by Avon and Somerset Police.
“The extent of future programmes is dependent on funding being identified, so following the analysis to establish what may be appropriate to resolve the collisions, it is likely that it could be at least two years before we could look at anything being implemented.
“In the short term, we are looking at the junction to reassess the current traffic engineering measures to see if any other minor measures might help to reduce the likelihood of collisions occurring.”
Stop the HGV vehicles turning right and through the village of Corsley when Wiltshire have banned them, a big roundabout would help slow cars down.