The “Three E’s” approach to road safety (Colin Martin in the Saltash Observer, 3rd May 2024)
In the week that I write this column, two people have been killed and several others injured in two separate road traffic incidents. Both of these deadly collisions occurred in my Lostwithiel Council area, but these roads are two of the main arteries of South East Cornwall. The A38 from Saltash to Bodmin has a serious collision rate three times higher than the national average for this type of road, and the A390 from St Blazey to Gunnislake has also seen more than its fair share of tragic crashes.
For the past seven years, I have been an active member of the SAFE38 campaign group, which follows the “Three E’s” approach to road safety: The first “E” is Education; reminding people that excess speed, unnecessary overtaking and driving under the influence of drink or drugs have always been the biggest causes of crashes. In recent years, an increasing number of incidents have also been caused by drivers taking their eyes off the road to look at their smartphones. This is particularly important on high-speed roads like the A38 and the A390 where vehicles can travel up to 30 metres in a second.
The second “E” is Enforcement: All political parties agree that Average Speed Cameras would save lives on the deadly A38. But almost a year after our MP obtained a promise from a Government minister to work with our Police and Crime Commissioner and our Council (all Conservatives) to provide funding through “Vision Zero South West”, there is still no progress on buying the cameras.
The third “E” is Engineering: The most dangerous sections of the A38 and A390 were built in the age of the horse and cart. They are full of twists, turns and blind junctions. Even with warning signs and average speed cameras, these roads are simply too hazardous for the volume of high-speed traffic they now carry. They need to be physically changed to eliminate the most serious hazards. Single-carriageway sections of the A38 need to be replaced by dual carriageways, and junctions like those at Stoketon Cross (for Callington), Clicker (for Menheniot) and Lean Quarry (for Looe) need to be upgraded with roundabouts or overpasses. Where the roads cannot be made safer, the speed limits need to be reduced.
As a Liberal Democrat, I believe that roads which enable everyone to move around efficiently and safely, (by car, bike, bus or on foot) are an essential part of a fair, free and sustainable society. Our last Liberal Democrat MP Colin Breed secured funding for the Dobwalls bypass, which is the fastest and safest piece of road in South East Cornwall. If only our current Conservative MP had followed his example, we could have more of the safe roads we deserve. Unfortunately after fourteen years all we have is a set of plans for £40m of safety measures which the Treasury has said it will not fund before 2030 because they don’t provide sufficient economic benefit!
Picture Caption: Campaigning for a safer A38: Chair of Safe38 James Millidge, Colin Martin Cornwall Councillor for Lostwithiel and Lanreath, and Steve Jackson Safe38 committee member, outside County Hall