Calls for improvement to 'terrible' A483 junction after seven hurt in crash
Fresh calls have been made to improve safety at one of Shropshire's most notorious accident blackspots after four children and three adults were injured in a crash.
Two of the children, a boy and a girl, were airlifted to Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool after the two-car collision at the Llynclys crossroads, west of Oswestry, the other casualties taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
As emergency services closed the A483 trunk road on Wednesday Shropshire Council's cabinet member for roads wrote to the Highways Agency demanding urgent safety measures be put in place.
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Councillor Steve Davenport met with roads minister, Jesse Norman, earlier this year and discussed the long campaigned for Pant/Llanymynech bypass which would take out the crossroads.
But he said today: "We have long term plans for the road but we need urgent, interim measures to improve what is a death trap junction. There are constant accidents and near misses on that crossroads."
Despite a 40mph speed limit being introduced in 2013 there are still regularly crashes at the crossroads, where the A495 and B4396 meet the A483 next to the White Lion pub.
In March there were two serious crashes within three days at the crossroads while the road was also shut following a crash in April.
It comes two months after a petition was launched by residents to get traffic lights put in place. Within 24 hours of the latest crash the petition, from Tom Casewell and Nicole Evans had almost reached its target of 2,500 signatures.
Owen Paterson, the region's MP, is also backing improvements.
He says something needs to be done about the junction and has had talks with ministers, the Highways Agency, Shropshire Council, Midlands Connect and other bodies.
"It is a really bad junction. The last time it was looked at it was recommended that a roundabout was put in place as part of the proposals. This is another terrible example that something needs to be done and our roads need to be improved. It is absolutely vital, and this example will be taken on board when the next survey is done."
Oswestry Town Councillor, Mike Coppock said speed cameras like those on the A4 at the Shotatton crossroads should be installed.
"They have certainly slowed up the traffic at that junction, which used to be notorious for the amount of accidents it had," he said.
To view and sign the petition visit www.change.org/p/highways-agency-llynclys-crossroads-needs-traffic-lights.
