Tim Farron and local councillors call for lower speed limit to improve safety at M6 junction
Lib Dem councillors Hazel Hodgson and Ian Mitchell have written to Westmorland and Furness Council and National Highways, calling for further safety improvements at Junction 37 of the M6.
Back in September, ‘STOP’ signs were introduced at the exit slip roads from the M6 to the A684 (which runs from Kendal to Sedbergh) following numerous fatal accidents over recent months and years.
However National Highways have reported that recent CCTV footage has shown many instances of drivers ignoring the signs and travel straight across the junction.
In their letter, Tim, Hazel and Ian ask the highways authorities to:
1) Introduce a 40mph speed limit on the stretch of the A684 at Junction 37, with a speed camera to enforce this. This will mean that road users travelling past this junction will be in a much better position to react to any vehicles which pull out from the junction in front of them, and decrease the chance that any collision is fatal.
2) Improve layout of the slip roads leading onto the A684 from the M6, including introducing rumble strips and red markings to make it even clearer to road users that they are leaving the motorway and must slow down to a stop.
Writing to National Highways and Westmorland and Furness Council, Tim, Hazel and Ian said: “The recent video evidence gathered by National Highways which shows that many drivers are ignoring the new ‘STOP’ signs and are dangerously flying over the junction is as terrifying as it is sadly unsurprising.
“Over the past few years we have seen far too many tragic deaths at this junction and countless near misses.
“We are grateful for the work that both National Highways and Westmorland and Furness Council have undertaken in the past six months in an attempt to improve safety, but it painfully clear that more needs to be done.
“We would be very willing to meet with you to discuss taking both of these actions forward at the earliest possible opportunity.”