Calls for 40mph limit for accident-prone junction

The busy A4112 runs through the heart of the village of St Michaels, past the Church of St Michael of All Angels and St Michael's College.

But the road, which comes from Tenbury Wells across Oldwood Common, where there is no speed restriction, takes a blind turn just before it enters the village – and comes upon a notoriously difficult-to-turn-out-of T junction opposite the church.

After long-standing concerns from residents councillors are now calling for a range of measures to make the centre of St Michaels safer, including hopes for a 40mph buffer zone on the run up to the village.

Ken Pollock, Worcestershire councillor for Tenbury, said he had personally witnessed an accident where a driver was hit from behind by another car after slowing down for traffic from the T junction.

He said a recent speed measurement exercise suggested that average speeds through the village were well above the 30mph limit.

"There are two elements to this," he said.

"The T junction opposite the church and college is clearly dangerous and people travel down the A4112 far too quickly."

"The other significant thing is pedestrians – students from the collage walk into Tenbury and its a very narrow walkway.

"Obviously we're not going to put a 40mph limit half way across the common but we could put one on the county boundary so traffic will be going a bit slower when it comes to St Michaels."

However, he said, without statistics saying there had already been deaths or serious injuries at the spot, it was difficult to get certain things done.

"There are no statistics saying there have been serious injuries in an accident there, but these days there can be serious accidents that don't result in an injury, thankfully.

"The problem is you can't really put in speed bumps or do a great deal to improve the line of sight, or things of that nature.

"The Safer Roads Partnership say there isn't a long enough run there for a camera to prove people were breaking the limit."

He said to add to problems there had been reports of drivers doing "donuts" or circular turns swinging the rear of a car at speed, in a large layby at the entrance to the village, before racing off again.

"It's classic teenage exuberance and probably illegal, but it's very hard to stop it happening," he said.

However, wheels were in motion to take some action already he said, with the walkway towards the common set to be cleared and widened as much as possible in June, and the possibility of white "village gates" being put up at the entrance to St Michaels to help warn motorists they were entering a residential area. Councillor Pollock said he was also in talks to have a mirror put up on churchyard land to help drivers coming out of the T junction.