City drivers in frequent danger at ‘Russian Roulette’ junction
Motorists in Derby are playing “Russian roulette” with their lives when using a “dangerous” right-turn junction at a main city road[1] and nothing is being done to stop it, worried campaigners have warned. Members of the North Eastwood Road Safety Campaign (NERSC) in Littleover[2] have long called for the removal of the Manor Road right-turn junction next to Eastwood Drive but claim Derby City Council[3] has not listened to their repeated concerns.
They claim the junction is “too dangerous” to turn into Eastwood Drive[4] and say motorists have to make the manoeuvre very quickly to pass oncoming drivers travelling at 40mph on Manor Road towards the crossroads near the Royal Derby Hospital. They also claim motorists are wrongly and dangerously using it as a U-turn point, which the junction was not designed for.
The campaigners have renewed their plea for action just days after a serious accident on Manor Road[5] (close to the junction) which saw a car crash into a garage, causing severe damage to property. There is no evidence to say the right-turn junction was the cause or had any link to the crash which happened just after 8pm on Sunday (July 30) - but campaigners want to highlight the message that road safety around the area is a big problem[6] which they feel is not being resolved.
But leaders of Derby City Council say a public consultation regarding road safety at the problem junction has been carried out and completed and acted upon. The authority says it has “engaged thoroughly” with the community.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service interviewed the campaign group to hear more about the concerns. During the interview with campaigners, near-misses were seen at the junction ahead of the afternoon rush hour.
Bal Mahal, an Eastwood Drive resident, said: “I’ve lived here for 20 years. I’ve seen the traffic increase and the near-misses. Derby City Council has decided to make a motorway-style right turn into a 20mph zone which has created other problems such as U-turning and visibility problems. Campaigners call it the ‘Russian Roulette’ junction.
“There is U-turning happening on a 40mph dual-carriageway. There is no room for error. I have been driving for 30 years and I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The central reservation junction on Manor Road is a huge safety concern for nearby residents (Image: Derbyshire Live)
Fellow campaigner Jim Mathers, 84, said: “I am very worried. We are going to have a serious accident here one day and I don’t want it to be on Eastwood Drive.“
Last year a public consultation was carried out by the city council regarding Eastwood Drive. It centred on concerns regarding traffic volumes and the high speed of vehicles.
It looked at three options including closing North Street at its junction with Eastwood Drive, closing the right-turn junction at Manor Road, and making no changes. The latter option was preferred. But campaigners say the consultation was “flawed” as it asked for the views of all Derby residents who may have not been directly affected by the problems, as Eastwood Drive residents were.
The group claim that Derby City Council has declined to attend meetings about the Manor Road problems. They also say they have received contradictory messages from the council on whether or not the junction can be used for U-turns.
The group say that the council's own public consultation documents also gave contradictory statements about u-turns. Campaigners say one statement said that the junction would need to change to allow u-turns but then another sentence said the ability to do u-turns would remain.
But the council says it has acted in accordance with the concerns raised. Councillor Carmel Swan, cabinet member for climate change, transport and sustainability, said: “We are aware of the incident on [July 30] and will liaise with Derbyshire Constabulary regarding the circumstances.
“The council has engaged thoroughly with the community in the Eastwood Drive area. A public consultation was carried out last year and we have acted in accordance with the outcome of that consultation.”
References
- ^ at a main city road (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)
- ^ in Littleover (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Derby City Council (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)
- ^ into Eastwood Drive (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)
- ^ a serious accident on Manor Road (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)
- ^ area is a big problem (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Top cop who covered some of city's most high-profile crimes hangs up truncheon (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)