Britains most dangerous roads

linfordlunchbox · June 2007

Is this showing consistently bad driving, or poor engineering ?

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">'Most dangerous' roads revealed
Britain's most dangerous road is a section of highway linking Lancashire and the Yorkshire Dales, a survey says.

The 15-mile stretch of the A682 has had almost 100 deaths or serious injuries in the last decade.

The report was compiled by the Road Safety Foundation for the European Road Assessment Programme (EuroRAP).

Head researcher Dr Joanne Hill said a further 16 road sections were adjudged to present a persistent "medium to high risk" to road users.

The section of the A682, between junction 13 of the M65 and Long Preston, was the only road in the highest risk category.

The survey found that the second worst road was the A54 Congleton to Buxton in Derbyshire, with the third worst being the A683 from junction 34 of the M6 to Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria.

Dr Hill said: "The good news from the survey is that many of Britain's authorities have brought in countermeasures to tackle the higher risk routes in their areas.

"Most are quick, simple and cheap, involving little more than adopting modern signing, hazard markings and junction layouts."

Dr Hill said that the A682 "fails on every collision type".

Rail crash equivalent

These included junction and access road crashes, collisions with rigid roadside objects, overtaking crashes, pedestrian and cyclist collisions and motorcycle crashes.

"The death-toll on this stretch of road is the equivalent of five major rail crashes within 10 years," she said.

"The foundation's consultation with local authorities over the past four years has consistently shown that lack of funding is the principal reason why they do not tackle accident numbers on their roads on the scale that could make a major difference.

"Other local authorities have undoubtedly saved lives - often by the simple application of white paint."

EuroRAP chairman John Dawson said: "The UK is now falling behind those countries it used to lead only a few years ago because its pace in applying the results of research into safe road design lags behind the best.

"Cutting road deaths requires combined action to improve driver behaviour, to improve vehicle crash performance, and to provide safety features on the roads themselves.

UK'S MOST DANGEROUS ROADS
A682 from junction M65 in Lancashire to A65 at Long Preston, North Yorkshire
A54 Congleton to Buxton, Derbyshire
A683 from junction 34 on the M6 to Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria
A62 from Diggle to Huddersfield, Yorkshire
A671 from Burnley to A59 at Whalley, Lancashire
A653 Dewsbury to junction 28 of the M62 south of Leeds
A1079 from Market Weighton to Kingston upon Hull
A53 Leek to Buxton
A726 from junction 3 of the M77 to Paisley in Renfrewshire, Scotland
A46 from Market Rasen to Grimsby

"We need five-star drivers in five-star cars on five-star roads."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/6235058.stm<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

"I'd clean my car with a baby elephant - if I had a baby elephant !"

simoncp · June 2007

Britain has a low death rate on the roads. This latest fuss sounds like the accident prevention people trying to get more cash. Perhaps they all want a pay rise.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml%3Bs ... ortal.html

alecstilleyedye · June 2007

notable for its absense here, the a537 cat and fiddle (macclesfield-buxton), now patroled by helicopters to catch reckless drivers/motos. the a54 bit listed connects with that road (and is full of nasty climbs), so maybe the idiots are using that instead, hence its appearance on the list.

if i had a better signature, i'd use that instead

ransos · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by simoncp

Britain has a low death rate on the roads. This latest fuss sounds like the accident prevention people trying to get more cash. Perhaps they all want a pay rise.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml%3Bs ... ortal.html
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
We have a lower death rate that other similar countries which is not the same thing at all. Over 3000 people still die on our roads every year. Do you not think that we should seek to reduce this?

simoncp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ransos

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by simoncp

Britain has a low death rate on the roads. This latest fuss sounds like the accident prevention people trying to get more cash. Perhaps they all want a pay rise.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml%3Bs ... ortal.html
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
We have a lower death rate that other similar countries which is not the same thing at all. Over 3000 people still die on our roads every year. Do you not think that we should seek to reduce this?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

As Dr Hill says in the link, the ways to reduce road deaths on these roads 'quick, simple and cheap'. So let's do something quick simple and cheap. The council tax and other taxes have spiralled over recent years so it is a shame that some of this money hasn't been used to do something quick, simple and cheap that would save so many lives. What did these councils do with the money that was more important than saving lives? One thing is for sure, no extra cash is needed for road safety.

Rigid Raider · June 2007

It's not poor engineering. Many of these roads are former turnpikes, which were built early in the Industrial Revolution for the emerging road transport industry, meaning horses and heavy carts. They were never meant for high performance motorbikes or drivers of economy hatches going too fast and drunk. For example the A671 connects Burnley and Padiham (Chav capitals of Lancashire with the highest rate of incestuous childbirth in the UK) with Whalley (Snooty Ribble Valley shopping village by day and frighteningly violent drunken pub-crawling territory by night) so is used as a racetrack between the two. Just to challenge drivers right between them there's the Devil's Elbow, a deceptive bend, which tightens at the apex and which has seen numerous accidents despite a complete rebuild a few years ago. Oh and the rest of this road is long straights between two or three blind bends with mature trees each side for good measure. Get the picture?

It's not the road, it's statistics driven by the kinds of idiots who use the roads.

Global TH1.5 Ti hardtail.

simoncp · June 2007

Also the statistics do not mention the extent to which a high proportion of deaths on this type of road are essentially self-inflicted. A winding country road will always be more dangerous than a motorway no matter how much money is spent on it. If a few idiots per year kill themselves by driving recklessly on these roads why should the rest of us care? I've driven cars, motorbikes and bicycles on all but one of these roads many times, and I've never suffered as much as a scratch.

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Rigid Raider

the A671 connects Burnley and Padiham (Chav capitals of Lancashire with the highest rate of incestuous childbirth in the UK) with Whalley (Snooty Ribble Valley shopping village by day and frighteningly violent drunken pub-crawling territory by night) so is used as a racetrack between the two. Get the picture?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Will this be in the next local guide to the area?

linfordlunchbox · June 2007

What was the average speed of a horse and Cart RR, walking pace or jogging pace ?

In the 1870s, there were over 1500 deaths per year involving horse transport.

They managed to curb the speeding in Blackbird Leys, why can't they do it there ?

Joe Sacco · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by simoncp

Also the statistics do not mention the extent to which a high proportion of deaths on this type of road are essentially self-inflicted. A winding country road will always be more dangerous than a motorway no matter how much money is spent on it. If a few idiots per year kill themselves by driving recklessly on these roads why should the rest of us care? I've driven cars, motorbikes and bicycles on all but one of these roads many times, and I've never suffered as much as a scratch.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Could it be because reckless driving can kill other drivers as well the the reckless driver themself? There is a chance they will hit another innocent driver as they spin there way across the road isn't there?

Rigid Raider · June 2007

Linford, a horse is even higher than a bike and people do fall off them, especially as they have no brakes, get frightened easily and have too small a brain in charge of too much muscle. In the last few centuries they didn't wear helmets, or not civilians anyway.

My wife drives that road twice a day. Must confess this report worries me.

Global TH1.5 Ti hardtail.

Gary Askwith · June 2007

The A683 from junction 34 on the M6 to Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria is a wonderfully scenic winding country road...which just so happens to terminate (sic[}:)]) in devils bridge...a famous northen motorcyclist meeting place
I avoid the place on weekends( same with Alston cafe/Bilsdale Helmsley/ Keilder) as they are infested with multitudes of the greater spotted Darleks*
Go midweek when all self respecting Darleks* are stuck in queues in their cars or watching Eastenders [xx(][:)]


* Darleks = 'Race replica sports bike' coloured leathers , born again 2000 mile a year aggressive fashion victim riders who have problems interfacing corners and stone walls

Economic Growth; as dead as a Yangtze River dolphin....

linfordlunchbox · June 2007

Ah, The Darleks (SP), I remember this colloquialism of yours Gary , You use it as a term of derision from the lofty position of your old boys tourer [;)]

Perhaps should read, I rather fancy a bike like that, but the even thought of a bike with that much performance scares me witless [:D]

Gary Askwith · June 2007

Strange that whenever yours truly (VFR750) and my bro (Blackbird) are out on these roads we never get passed....-only held up or scared witless (by oncoming Darleks over the white line) so logically either they are hopeless or we are quite good [:)]

Modesty forbids...[;)]

Economic Growth; as dead as a Yangtze River dolphin....

Pringlecp · June 2007

UK'S MOST DANGEROUS ROADS
A682 from junction M65 in Lancashire to A65 at Long Preston, North Yorkshire
A54 Congleton to Buxton, Derbyshire
A683 from junction 34 on the M6 to Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria
A62 from Diggle to Huddersfield, Yorkshire
A671 from Burnley to A59 at Whalley, Lancashire
A653 Dewsbury to junction 28 of the M62 south of Leeds
A1079 from Market Weighton to Kingston upon Hull
A53 Leek to Buxton
A726 from junction 3 of the M77 to Paisley in Renfrewshire, Scotland
A46 from Market Rasen to Grimsby

Did anyone else notice the slight "Northern" bias in this top 10?

Another year older, another Budweiser

Joe Sacco · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Pringle

UK'S MOST DANGEROUS ROADS
A682 from junction M65 in Lancashire to A65 at Long Preston, North Yorkshire
A54 Congleton to Buxton, Derbyshire
A683 from junction 34 on the M6 to Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria
A62 from Diggle to Huddersfield, Yorkshire
A671 from Burnley to A59 at Whalley, Lancashire
A653 Dewsbury to junction 28 of the M62 south of Leeds
A1079 from Market Weighton to Kingston upon Hull
A53 Leek to Buxton
A726 from junction 3 of the M77 to Paisley in Renfrewshire, Scotland
A46 from Market Rasen to Grimsby

Did anyone else notice the slight "Northern" bias in this top 10?

Another year older, another Budweiser
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

So northerners are just bad drivers? Or is it because they can go more than 10mph whereas southerners spend their life in traffic?

redcogs · June 2007

The A62 in Huddersfield is a treacherous road which is noted for an absence of bends until you reach Cellars Clough at Marsden.

i was lucky to avoid being snuffed by a 'chav' who 'negotiated' the bend on a couple of wheels one Sunday morning a couple of years ago.

A child from my children's school was killed on the same road when we lived in Kirklees. People drive at insane speeds on the A62 - that is the problem.

The suggestion that the UK has a low death rate on the roads is lunatic fringe stuff, which could only come from one who had arrested development and totally lacking any ability to empathise.

please look up to the stars.. ***

Unknown · June 2007

i think these northern roads are high on the list due to thier location, the lake district is well known for its steep, twisty and narrow lanes as are the pennines, many of these roads seem to fall in either of these areas.

this either breeds good drivers who slow down for corners and gradually learn the limits they should (not can) go to and do so with care, getting a little faster and smoother with experience while being ready to slow or stop as required

I believe i fit into this category

or it can breed bad drivers who, having just managed to scrape through find it funny and do it again and again, not thinking there could be something coming the other way.

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Joe Sacco

Originally posted by Pringle

UK'S MOST DANGEROUS ROADS
A682 from junction M65 in Lancashire to A65 at Long Preston, North Yorkshire
A54 Congleton to Buxton, Derbyshire......snip

So northerners are just bad drivers? Or is it because they can go more than 10mph whereas southerners spend their life in traffic?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Is there any research into the drivers, do some of them come from down south and, in the heady freedom of an open road, lose control.

I have to agree with some of the comments about the motorbikers, they do use these roads as racetracks. Kirby Lonsdale, Settle, and Hawes are packed with bikers every weekend. The roads around are not the best place to be on your "pushbike" when 30 or 40 high speed machines go past, each one that passes closer and closer, as the ones at the back haven't seen you.

george

_________________________________
Trip
www.pedalpatagonia.co.uk

2 Bikes
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/imjibi/Bikes

Rigid Raider · June 2007

We took our son to Oulton Park on Saturday to watch practice for saloon car racing on Sunday. On both days there were numerous crashes at high speed yet as far as I know nobody was injured. The reason? Wide gravel and grass runoffs and shock-absorbing tyre barriers. The problem with all the roads in the list is that they share several characteristics:

Former major roads, often turnpikes much improved before motorways so relatively wide and fast driving.

Linking conurbations with areas of recreation.

Mostly in northerly lower-populated areas so relatively low traffic densities - yes, some of those Pennine roads are virtually empty at off-peak times.

Passing through agricultural land so plenty of walls and mature trees to hit, along with side roads, junctions and contrary traffic movement.

The roads themselves aren't of course dangerous; it's the users who are. On the short stretch of the A671 between Burnley and Whalley we know of a dozen places where cars have gone through the hedge in the last five years; that's accidents involving excess speed and loss of control. Every accident bumps up the statistics.

By contrast we live in an old, narrow lane, which is used as a cut-through by drivers racing through at speeds measured up to 55 mph to avoid traffic lights on the parallel main road. We have campaigned for 20 years for speed humps but Lancashire CC will not spend the money because we are low on the list of priorities. The reason? No serious injuries or deaths recorded. So we are victims of our own success in keeping our kids off the road.

Global TH1.5 Ti hardtail.

simoncp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Joe Sacco

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by simoncp

Also the statistics do not mention the extent to which a high proportion of deaths on this type of road are essentially self-inflicted. A winding country road will always be more dangerous than a motorway no matter how much money is spent on it. If a few idiots per year kill themselves by driving recklessly on these roads why should the rest of us care? I've driven cars, motorbikes and bicycles on all but one of these roads many times, and I've never suffered as much as a scratch.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Could it be because reckless driving can kill other drivers as well the the reckless driver themself? There is a chance they will hit another innocent driver as they spin there way across the road isn't there?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

There is, but if we are to understand just how dangerous these roads really are, all deaths and injury to drivers and riders that are the result of recklessness should be removed from the statistics. For example, the Cat and Fiddle road is notorious for deaths because motorcyclists deliberately use it to test their skills, and many of them die as a result. A more accurate measure of how dangerous the road is would be obtained if only those deaths and injuries that happened to normal, sensible people were included.

I don't see why I should spend any cash on road safety on a particular road just because teenagers like to race their cars along it late at night at high speed.

Flying_Monkey · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Rigid Raider
[the short stretch of the A671 <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Isn't this the real problem here - the fact that they are designated as 'A-roads' when they are quite unsuitable to be classed as major routes for modern levels and types of traffic. If we want to preserve their character, we should downgrade them and reduce the speed limits. If we want to keep them as A-roads, we should adjust them accordingly - which means losing their character.

Now I guess I'll have to tell 'em
That I got no cerebellum
Gonna get my Ph.D.
I'm a teenage lobotomy

Jeremy Parker · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by linfordlunchbox

Is this showing consistently bad driving, or poor engineering ?

'Most dangerous' roads revealed

[snip]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Well, I wouldn't define killing yourself because of a bend in the road as good driving.

Evidently the drivers hadn't had enough experience of the kind of road features that they encountered.

The features that make Britain's most dangerous road dangerous are probably those that make people like to drive on it.

We need to install more such features on every road, therefore;

- it would make driving more fun

- it would let good drivers gain experience

- it would apply Darwinian theory to poor drivers more quickly

Jeremy Parker

southlaker · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Flying_Monkey

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Rigid Raider
[the short stretch of the A671 <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Isn't this the real problem here - the fact that they are designated as 'A-roads' when they are quite unsuitable to be classed as major routes for modern levels and types of traffic. If we want to preserve their character, we should downgrade them and reduce the speed limits. If we want to keep them as A-roads, we should adjust them accordingly - which means losing their character.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They are not classified according to level or type of traffic, or suitability, they are classified according to how they are paid for, Central Goverment-A road, County Council-B road etc. Hence in Cumbria there are "A" roads which have single lane sections, some controlled by traffic lights, and "B" roads which have dual carriageway sections.

Britains most dangerous roads

Comments

Categories