Blackspot junction a fatal accident waiting to happen

Following an accident last week, Pat Catney says that there are too many collisions at what he has described as a ‘blackspot junction’ and has urged the Department of Regional Development to take action to prevent a death.

Mr Catney says that there is a problem with insufficient sightlines and speeding traffic.

“There is supposed to be a speed restriction on that road of 50mph,” said Mr Catney. “But I have had many complaints from residents who say that by trying to drive out of the junction in the mornings and afternoons they are taking their lives in their hands,

“This is just an accident waiting to happen. The only solution is traffic lights to slow the traffic down. “There was an accident just last week at that same spot. Something needs to be done and done soon before someone is killed.”

He wrote a letter to the DRD. In their response in October they claimed that when designing the North Lisburn Feeder Road consideration had to be given to meeting a number of vertical leval constraints including an overflow tank at Boomers Reservoir.

“It was therefore difficult to provide adequate sight lines for the Derriaghy Road resulting in the vertical crest at Pond Park and the dip towards Linen Green and Belmont Drive. “A process was followed to approve a departure from standard and safety audit was completed prior to and after construction,”

Resident Pearse Lawlor blamed the sightlines at the exit at the Linen Green, he claims they are too narrow and are not even in line with the DRD recommendations for sightlines.

According to recommendations the sight lines should be 500 feet but at the junction are less than 300 feet.

“This is just an accident waiting to happen,” said Mr Lawlor “According to their regulations calculating sight lines it is important to ensure that the trunk road traffic shall have at least a desirable minimum stopping sight distances. Relaxations below desirable minimum are now permitted on the immediate approaches to junctions and this shall apply to direct accesses.”

A spokesperson for the Roads Service said, “Works which meet current safety standards were carried out to improve the sight lines in the area in 2008.

“This work included the removal of vegetation and utilities. Access from Linen Green to Derriaghy is constrained by the geography of the area.

“The recorded collision history does not indicate any particular safety concerns however Roads Service will continue to monitor the performance of the local road network.”