Anger over A505 safety
A FARMER feels Hertfordshire Highways has ducked the issue of safety at a notorious junction. Robert Law, proprietor of Thrift Farm near Royston, attended a site meeting at the Odsey turning of the A505 last week, which was organised in a bid to help cu
A FARMER feels Hertfordshire Highways has "ducked the issue" of safety at a notorious junction.
Robert Law, proprietor of Thrift Farm near Royston, attended a site meeting at the Odsey turning of the A505 last week, which was organised in a bid to help curb a spate of accidents in the area.
The highways agency has agreed to look at improving signage and road markings, along with possible changes to the road surface, but Mr Law believes this is not enough.
Mr Law, who is also chairman of Therfield Parish Council, said: "We were fobbed off with statistics saying there is no need to do anything about this turning.
"The message was that not enough people are getting killed near here for anything to be changed dramatically.
"The only solution which will make a difference is a 50mph limit enforced by average speed cameras.
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"They were telling us about the safety cameras which have been installed on the road, but half the time they just don't work.
"All they've done is ducked the issue."
The meeting was attended by representatives of Hertfordshire and Cambridge Highways, Hertfordshire Police, and several parish and county councillors.
Cambridgeshire County Cllr Linda Oliver, who helped organise the summit, said: "What we want are safety improvements. People who use the junction regularly know that it is a high risk area.
"Highways told us there were no funds available in Hertfordshire to make such improvements, so I will be working with the parish councils to try to find alternative means of funding for changes."
A spokesman for Hertfordshire Highways said: "The area engineer recapped on the work done so far, including an extra speed camera on the westbound carriageway, and moving a speed camera on the eastbound carriageway closer to the junction.
"It has been agreed that Hertfordshire Highways will look at making improvements to signs and road markings to give additional warning on the approach to the junction at Ashwell.
