Petition calls for road safety

Set up by resident Yvonne Bayliss, the petition attracted support from 404 members of the community – all calling for the 50mph speed limit on the B1188 to be reduced to 40mph.

Speaking at LCC’s full council meeting last week, Yvonne outlined the dangers she faces when crossing the road in her mobility scooter. There are also no footpaths along the road.

“It’s getting nigh-on impossible to cross the road from Dunston top to Dunston village,” she said. “We would like more signs to warn drivers about the road dangers.”

She spoke about the speed of traffic coming around the bend, leaving ‘very little time’ for motorists to see people in the road. Vision on the road was previously obscured by an overgrown bush, she said, but this had now been cut back, resolving the problem.

Yvonne also spoke about concerns for an increase in traffic if a proposed housing development on the other side of Dunston goes ahead.

She added there had been ‘several accidents’ along the B1188, and said she could not understand why the speed limit on the straight at Metheringham was 40mph when it goes up to 50mph at the bends in Dunston.

County and district councillor Marianne Overton said: “I strongly support calls for improved safety measures there. The improvements requested are completely reasonable and not expensive to implement and I fully hope and expect them to be put in place.”

Coun Overton has been part of a group who previously campaigned for the old 60mph speed on the road to be reduced to 50mph.”

Coun Richard Davies, executive member for highways and transportation, said: “We’ve listened to Mrs Bayliss’ concerns regarding the B1188 Dunston junction, and I’ll be arranging a site visit in the new year with the relevant highways manager and officers to consider whether further improvements can be made.

“The speed limit on the B1188 was reduced from the national speed limit to 50mph, for almost its full length from Ruskington to Branston about two years ago to improve safety for drivers and other road users.

“Speeds through this area are also monitored and appropriate police enforcement implemented.”