Safety campaign continues into second decade

A Spalding man has reignited his campaign for a safer junction, 22 years after he launched his first petition.

Rodney Sadd, of Carrington Road, first campaigned to get street lights installed at the junction of the B1172 and the A16 at the bottom of Spalding Common in 1997.

Now he says the road is even more dangerous, after a bollard that marks the turn was destroyed by a vehicle at the end of December.

This missing bollard, one of three currently unlit markers in the central reservation, has added further danger to the junction, Mr Sadd believes.

The local highways manager said: “Our contractor has visited the site to make the area safe and assess whether the bollards could be immediately repaired.

“Unfortunately, one of the bollards has been completely demolished in a traffic collision.

“We are arranging for the bollard to be replaced, which will require excavation and electrical connections.”

Mr Sadd said he thinks it is time for the junction to be fully illuminated. “You should be improving things,” he said.

The Highways department is not in agreement, however.

The local highways manager said: “Despite local concerns, there is no history of accidents being caused by low levels of light at this junction, so it is unlikely that new street lights will be installed.”

That’s despite the destruction of the bollard in a collision.

Mr Sadd said he is aware the junction has a history of collisions. “It’s shocking, really,” he added.

“Why wait for an accident to happen? Taking road safety seriously would prompt an urgent response.”

Mr Sadd said he will continue to campaign for a safer, well-lit junction.

This week, a reader got in touch and said that in the darkness they ended up on the wrong side of the road when turning down Spalding Common.