Yellow lines on the way for problem road

PROBLEMS at an accident black spot in Royston could finally be resolved next month with the installation of double yellow lines.

Following an accident which almost destroyed a garage, residents renewed calls for lines near the junction of York Way, Minster Road, and Old North Road, Royston.

The incident, which took place just before 3pm on Friday, saw a post office van plough into the garage. The driver sustained minor injuries, and was taken to Lister Hospital in Stevenage, while a structural engineer had to be called to make the building safe. No other vehicles were involved.

It is the latest in a long line of accidents to occur in the area, the most serious of which saw pedestrian Kelly Reeman killed when she was in collision with a motorcycle in the area in April last year.

An inquest into her death heard that she had stepped out from between parked cars, and local people believe these are to blame for many of the problems.

A resident of Minster Road, who asked not to be named, said: "How many more accidents are we going to have in this area before something is done?

"We've been promised double yellow lines to stop people parking for months, but we are still waiting."

Hertfordshire Highways agreed to put in the yellow lines earlier this year, but Cllr Fiona Hill, Royston's county councillor, explained that an objection to the scheme had caused delays.

Cllr Hill said: "We have to undertake statutory consultation, and this led to one person voicing an objection, because they would be losing their parking space.

"The highways joint member panel considered this objection at a recent meeting, but decided to go ahead because there is a growing safety issue in the area, not just with parked cars but also with traffic queuing back on to Old North Road.

"It has become a hazard for everybody."

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Highways said: "We now have another statutory period of four weeks to advertise the work. Once this is complete we can get started.