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New call at accident blackspot

6:56am Thursday 28th February 2008

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POOR driving and heavy traffic have been blamed for the high number of crashes at an accident blackspot in west Wiltshire.

Two people have been killed and several others injured over the past year on the A36 at Blackdog Hill near Chapmanslade, Warminster.

The latest crash was on Friday morning when a Toyota car towing a trailer overturned. Just a week before, two people were seriously injured in a three-car pile-up.

Between now and January 2007, eight crashes have been reported, of which two resulted in fatalities. During the same period three people were seriously injured and eight slightly injured as a result of collisions on the same stretch of road.

Warminster's retained fire station manager Chris Trimby said: "It is an area where we do get a number of serious accidents because of speed. Our advice is to slow down and be aware."

West Wilts MP Dr Andrew Murrison said: "The issue firstly is heavy traffic and secondly speeding traffic. Fatalities on rural roads are far more significant mile for mile than on major roads which some people don't fully appreciate."

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realistic old man, West wilts says...
8:53am Thu 28 Feb 08

If the Warminster bypass had been built as a dual carriageway (as part of the A36 upgrade) all those years ago, a lot of the A36 would have followed suite and many of the accidents would probably not have happened - to save a few bob has cost a lot of lives. And where are we with the 'Major Trunk Road Upgrade' now ? - ask the residents of Stapleford and South Newton - it must be a living hell for them.

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Russell Hawker, WESTBURY says...
9:14am Thu 28 Feb 08

I think the main problem at Blackdog Hill is the middle climber land, which is intended to allow faster traffic going uphill to overtake slower traffic.

Unfortunately, the same "middle" lane is also used by traffic going downhill to overtake as well.

This is an exceedingly dangerous situation because when cars going in opposite directions at speed start the manouvre to get into the middle lane at the same time, their closing speed is so fast that they may not have time to realise what is happening and who is supposed to pull back in (ie. the downhill car driver may forget that the uphill car has the right of way).

What is needed is double white lines all the way along the hill between the downhill lane and the middle lane.

It won't stop those who are determined to overtake going downhill, but at least they will very aware that they are breaking the law and MUST give way if another vehicle is coming the other way uphill.

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Russell Hawker, WESTBURY says...
9:15am Thu 28 Feb 08

Oops, sorry about typo - I meant "lane" not land.

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The Voice of Reason, Westbury says...
11:07am Thu 28 Feb 08

Good points made by the previous respondents. But remember the current road layout on the A36 at Black Dog Hill preceded the building of the Warminster bypass: around 1975 I believe. Even before then this was a very dangerous stretch of road - a narrow, winding, steep hill with earth banks either side of the road cutting. And the most dangerous part of all was at the top on what then a cross-roads (directly after a sharp bend on the A36) - Dead Maids cross-roads where the Dilton to Chapmanslade road traversed the A36. What an appropriate name that was - reflecting all the fatal accidents there. At least we now have a flyover for that traffic. But the A36 Black Dog changes - which involved massive earthworks - were obviously carried out on a tight budget so that we ended up with the situation we have today. Double-white lines should certainly be tried - they seem to have fixed an equally-dangerous situation on the 3-lane A303 Ilminster bypass. But if even those are ignored it will take the expensive option of a dual carriageway. Trying to educate drivers is pointless - too many people think driving is their right rather than their privilege.

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super pip, trowbridge says...
1:27pm Thu 28 Feb 08

Double white lines. 'Stay in lane' signs going down the hill is all thats required. The rest is up to the driver. You cant do anything about stupidity.

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george, trowbridge says...
9:03pm Thu 28 Feb 08

the answer is simple. speed cameras. and ones that actually have film in and work. maybe if we stopped sending the police helicopter out to look for some bloke that did a runner from the traffic police in trowbridge (who was no doubt of a foreign nationality) we could afford a speed camera no problem!!

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Localman, chippenham says...
10:11pm Thu 28 Feb 08

hard hitting road traffic education, enhanced test and tougher court fines for those that have total disregard for road safety. Age of new driver raised to 18 with an engine size restricted to 1 litre and max speed in first year of passing test 50mph on open roads including D/C and M/W

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The Voice of Reason, Westbury says...
10:24am Fri 29 Feb 08

In response to 'george' - there was a Gatso camera at the top of the hill but it was removed after being fire-bombed several times. Though I believe the calibration markings still remain on the road there. It did record one of the highest-ever speeds in Wiltshire before its demise. But it did not prevent crashes taking place further down the hill.
And in response to 'localman' some of your suggestions look certain to be implemented in law soon: the Government is effectively raising the (non-provisional) driving age to 18 and introducing restrictions on new-driver car engine size/power (similar to current laws on motor cycles). But I don't think boy racers are the specific problem at this location.

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Alan, Warminster says...
5:10pm Sat 1 Mar 08

And that camera never worked anyway.

It's not speed that kills, can't believe how many idiots are actually brainwashed by this theory..

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moonrakin_wurzel, Trowbridge says...
8:51pm Sat 1 Mar 08

From Bath to Salisbury - this constricted out of date state of this road is the problem - too much mixed traffic , frustrated idjits flooring it to overtake on a blind bend after sucking truck exhausts for 15 minutes....


I have witnessed some truly suicidal overtaking maneuvers on this road. I know firemen who won't commute on this road because they're only too well aware that it's very likely that they'll be back out scraping up the debris....

I understand (OK... a rumour)that some government drivers are forbidden on Health and Safety grounds from using a number of junctions on this road!



A new road is required - in the meantime I'd truly love to see some of the suicidal morons video'd and being prosecuted - speed definitely isn't the issue - people are.

Am I the only person who's exasperated by the impunity with which some folk out there continue to drive in an apallingly dangerous fashion on our crowded roads?

Dying to get to work comes to mind.


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Saimi, Warminster says...
12:06pm Sun 2 Mar 08

Alan writes
It's not speed that kills, can't believe how many idiots are actually brainwashed by this theory..

I wonder what planet you are on Alan - of course speed kills! That's why people die when they are hit by motorists are doing over the limit. Read the Highway Code, particularly the guide for Typical Stopping Distances (s.126)for instance!

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Alan, Warminster says...
5:29pm Sun 2 Mar 08

Saimi wrote:
Alan writes
It's not speed that kills, can't believe how many idiots are actually brainwashed by this theory..

I wonder what planet you are on Alan - of course speed kills! That's why people die when they are hit by motorists are doing over the limit. Read the Highway Code, particularly the guide for Typical Stopping Distances (s.126)for instance!
You're an imbecile and need your head testing. Idiotic driving is what kills, not SPEED.

Stopping distances vary from vehicle to vehicle so the HC figures are irrelevant.

Driving tests should be made harder - a lot harder..

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Saimi, Warminster says...
1:48pm Mon 3 Mar 08

Alan writes:
You're an imbecile and need your head testing. Idiotic driving is what kills, not SPEED.


And what do idiotic drivers do Alan - well that will be SPEED then.

As for the HC being irrelevant I don't think so - they are a very good guideline so can't be irrelevant.

By the way you are so rude, if I am an ibecile goodness knows what you are with some of the utter nonsense you have written lately.

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Saimi, Warminser says...
1:50pm Mon 3 Mar 08

"ibecile = imbecile" forgot my m's - but not my p's and q's unlike some!

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fmead99, Warminster says...
5:48pm Tue 11 Mar 08

Saimi wrote:
Alan writes
It's not speed that kills, can't believe how many idiots are actually brainwashed by this theory..

I wonder what planet you are on Alan - of course speed kills! That's why people die when they are hit by motorists are doing over the limit. Read the Highway Code, particularly the guide for Typical Stopping Distances (s.126)for instance!
People are also killed by motorists doing under the limit.

Stopping distances depend hugely on the suspension, tyres, disks, pads and calipers on the car. They are a rough measure. For example an Aston Martin DB9 will pull up from 60mph in half the distance of a typical old volvo for example. Add the possibility that the old volvo is driven by an elderly gent, and factor in reaction times and you will see that this argument is also not particularly effective.

It is the underskilled, the cocky and the **** right dangerous drivers that cause the majority of accidents on this road.

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