It's battle lines after another accident on Weymouth coast road (From Thisisdorset)

It's battle lines after another accident on Weymouth coast road

7:30am Saturday 7th November 2009

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PRESSURE is mounting to bring back the white lines on the Weymouth to Bridport coast road after the fourth serious crash in three weeks.

The road was closed for more than an hour yesterday when a car overturned on the only stretch of the road still to have a 60mph speed limit.

A Renault Clio, being driven by a woman, flipped over on to its side between Portesham and Chickerell at around 12.15pm, on a section of the road without central markings.

The 30-year-old driver, believed to be from Weymouth, escaped with only minor injuries and was treated by paramedics at the scene for shock.

It is the second accident this week on the road and the fourth crash in three weeks, sparking further pleas to reinstate road markings.

Sections of the road have been left without lines following resurfacing works last year in an experiment Dorset County Council hopes will reduce casualties by removing road clutter.

But worried road users fear it could end up costing more lives.

Carl Parrin, live-in chef at The Bull Inn, Swyre, said: “Dorset County Council have not got a clue - taking away the white lines and cats' eyes. There are at least 15 to 20 accidents in the winter and it’s just going to get worse.”

Chickerell district councillor Elaine Whyte said: “What I would like to see is Dorset County Council’s highways division to come to a swift conclusion about how they are going to proceed with the road safety issues on this road.

“If it’s as simple as reinstating white lines to save lives and prevent accidents - bring them back.”

The county council has defended the move and claims it is the people who use the road who cause the accidents.

Robert Smith, the council’s road safety team manager, said people should stop blaming the road, as statistics showed 95 per cent of road traffic accidents were caused by human error.

Mr Parrin, 38, said: “Even when you know the road, it’s still dangerous."

“Wait for a foggy night, get all the councillors in their cars and see how they get on – see how brave they are then. That’s the only way they are going to change their minds - if they see it for themselves.”

Chickerell’s county councillor Ian Gardner is a representative on the B3157 Road Safety Partnership Project.

He said: “There is a whole history of accidents on the road and none of those had been tied with lack of white lines. One of the proposals is to reduce the speed limit between Chickerell and Portesham down to 50 from 60 so obviously that will make a difference.”

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