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‘No overtaking’ zone plan for Greeba?
ACCIDENT SCENE: Roads chiefs are considering whether to prohibit overtaking near the Hawthorn, on the A1 at Greeba. PHOTO: John Maddrell JM120928 (80).
ROADS chiefs are considering recommendations made by the Coroner of Inquests in the wake of a fatal road accident outside the Hawthorn Inn, in Greeba, on the main A1 Douglas to Peel road.
Last month John Needham called for overtaking restrictions to be extended ‘as an issue of priority’.
Alexander Williamson, aged 36, of Charles Street Close, Peel, died when his motorcycle was involved in a collision with a car that was attempting to turn right out of the Hawthorn’s car park.
Mr Williamson had been carrying out an overtaking manoeuvre at the time, on a derestricted stretch of road where there were no double white lines to prohibit overtaking.
Department of Infrastructure director of highways Richard Pearson said that since the inquest the 50mph zone had been extended westwards past the Hawthorn.
The inquest had heard that the highways division had plans to extend the 50mph zone.
Mr Pearson added: ‘We are currently considering the possibility of introducing a no overtaking regime at this location following the outcome of the inquiry and our advice to it.’
He said it was ‘purely coincidental’ that the DoI was due to start works on the A1 road at Greeba this week.
‘The work currently highlighted at Greeba is not in connection with the recent inquiry, it is part of our revenue improvement programme to make roads safer,’ he said.
Mr Pearson explained that the scheme will improve the sight line for vehicles coming out of Ballachurry Road.
‘This entails demolishing and rebuilding the wall further back to clear the sight line,’ he said.
The work is expected to take up to five weeks to complete.
The cost of the scheme is about £35,000.
Mr Pearson said: ‘The first part of the work will be completed using traffic signals between 9.30am and 4.30pm but once clear of the road, the remainder of the project will allow traffic to flow as usual.’
At the inquest into Mr Williamson’s death, Mr Needham said it was a ‘particularly busy area of road’ because there were a number of junctions emerging on to the main road.
The Coroner did not agree with Constable Michael Crompton, of the roads policing unit, who said there was no need to extened the double white lines as ‘potential hazards had started to lessen’ on that stretch.
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Thursday 23 May 2013
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