Plans on track to fix 'death trap' junction

Herefordshire Council has said it "continues to monitor" a junction in Herefordshire that has been described as a "death trap", following another serious accident.

On 29 April, a motorcyclist was left with serious injuries in a collision with a lorry at the Locks Garage junction, south of Hereford, between the A465 and B4348.

A spokesperson for the local authority said the final design and costings had not yet been finalised, but £2.7m would be allocated to two road safety schemes, including Locks Garage junction.

In November, following previous crashes on the road, the council announced the speed limit would be reduced from 60mph to 40mph for an 18-month trial to improve safety.

The council also confirmed it was getting about £30m of government money for road improvements in the county for the next four years.

Addressing the Locks Garage junction specifically, the council spokesperson said: "Until detailed designs and construction costs are confirmed, it would not be appropriate to revise or remove the allocated funding."

Speaking collectively, three local residents, Arwyn Smit, Terry Davies and Mat Phillips, said they were "tired of the near misses, accidents, and the heartbreaking headlines".

They described the junction as "a death trap", with "poor visibility, high speeds, and a design that feels dangerous every time you try to pull out".

The trio added: "We don't want more investigations, we want a roundabout, better lighting, or reduced speed limits now."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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