White lines on A18 'inadequate'

SAFETY improvements made to the notoriously dangerous A18 have been labelled "inadequate" by a local councillor.

Conservative Philip Jackson has questioned why highways engineers have not extended the solid centre white line to discourage overtaking at hazardous bends.

Such a measure was recommended by North East Lincolnshire Council's (NELC) speed limit select committee earlier this year, along with a reduction in the speed limit to 50mph.

But although the new 50mph signs have been installed, and the existing road markings have been repainted during a three-day closure, Councillor Jackson, who was a member of the select committee, says the changes have done little to improve safety on the road, which has been dubbed the most dangerous in Britain.

He said: "The speed limit select committee, which looked in depth at the safety of this road, recommended the painting of additional white solid centre lines along significant stretches of the road to make overtaking illegal at some of the more dangerous stretches.

"Though, during the closure, all the road markings have been repainted, there has been virtually no extension of the white solid centre lines. Long stretches on the approaches to blind bends and blind summits still have only a normal single broken centre line – this does not send the right messages to drivers about the potential danger of these sections of road.

"I do not think this is adequate. If I wasn't familiar with the road I wouldn't be able to judge where the main hazards are by looking at the centre white line."

Councillor Jackson also expressed disappointment that no improvements had been made to the stretch of the A18 which falls under the control of Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) during the three-day closure.

He said: "The white lining on the Lincolnshire stretch of road is in very poor condition and there are some areas of the grass verge where there are some very deep ruts and if people did veer onto them they would definitely lose control of their vehicle.

"I fully appreciate that this stretch is not the responsibility of North East Lincolnshire Council but during these difficult financial times it is essential that local authorities co-operate more and this would have been a cost-effective opportunity to undertake much-needed work along the Lincolnshire stretch."

The Grimsby Telegraph invited NELC to provide a response to Councillor Jackson's criticisms, but at the time of going to press this had not been received.

An LCC spokesman said the road markings on its side of the border would be refreshed "in due course" as part of its maintenance programme.