Limavady accident hotspot safety campaign continues

Local DUP man Alan Robinson has been lobbying since 2012 for improvements at the junction between the Greystone Road and the Broad Road in Limavady.

The Limavady councillor said that he has received a response regarding his long standing concerns at the numbers of traffic collisions and traffic commuter delays from the Roads Minister, Danny Kennedy.

The local politician recently said that he had requested updated statistics from the PSNI regarding the number of collisions at the busy junction. An earlier set of statistics showed that between 2008 and 2013 there were a shocking 13 collisions - with people hurt in eight of those crashes.

He said: “As part of my ongoing three-year campaign I recently wrote to the Roads Minister, Danny Kennedy, seeking his input and to press home the importance of delivery for works at that junction.

“In his response he has reaffirmed the Transport NI position that a detailed design for a roundabout proposal is at an advanced stage and that land acquisition procedures will be moved forward in due course.

“I join with the Minister in expressing my desire to see this proposal come to fruition which would make a significant contribution to improving safety and enable the efficient operation of the junction. The numbers of letters that I have sent regarding this important topic is now into double figures which don’t include correspondence with the Police at senior level and a series of Ministerial Questions. This is in keeping with the commitment given that no matter how long it takes, no matter how much effort is involved I am determined to see improvements made at that junction purely on the grounds of road safety.”

Earlier this year, he said: “I have always believed that due to the numbers of cars that are caught up in lengthy queues that build up as they wait to access on to the main Broad Road that this was causing frustration amongst road users who may subsequently be taking a chance. I have taken the matter up with the Police accident statistics unit asking for updated figures in relation to the numbers of injury collisions and damage only collisions which I will present to the Roads Minister asking that this scheme take precedence over others.

“As of 2013 there had been 13 traffic accidents at that location which appears unusually high for any junction in Limavady Town. It is a good junction outside of peak times with good views either way but it services the most densely populated area of Limavady resulting in long queues at peak times and frustration for drivers thus the need for some form of remedial works.”