RESIDENTS living on a busy Mapplewell street which is quickly becoming a ‘race track’ have called on the council for more to be done to slow motorists down following a number of serious collisions.
Over the last six months there has been a number of crashes on Darton Lane - two of which have required support from Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Last Monday, a car collided with a telegraph pole on the road, leaving residents fearful the next collision could become fatal.
Tom Mayfield, 47, told the Chronicle something needs to be done sooner rather than later.
“In the last six months there’s been at least three crashes, two of which required an air ambulance to land on the green behind our bungalow,” he added.
“It’s shocking to see something like that happen.
“It doesn’t seem like anything is really happening to stop this from happening again.
“What’s really concerning is that even after the collision (last Monday) happened, people were still seemingly driving well over the 30mph limit.
“It’s scary that people are still deciding to drive like lunatics.
“It’s not just boy racers either - it’s people who are doing their day-to-day business.”
Tom has called on the council to act and implement new road safety measures, and local councillors in his ward have backed him.
A joint statement from Darton East Couns Dickie Denton and Steve Hunt said: “We are calling for road safety measures to be brought in on Darton Lane.
“Last week there was an accident on Darton Lane where a vehicle, believed to be travelling at speed, brought down two telegraph poles by the Ibberson Memorial Gardens.
“There have been other serious incidents on Darton Lane over the last few months.
“Last November we got Darton Lane added to the programme for sites where Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) would be rolled out (along with Spark Lane, Wakefield Road and Bar Lane).
“At the recent PACT meeting we asked the neighbourhood policing team to carry out a speed operation on Darton Lane.
“We have also contacted the council’s highways team to request the prioritisation of Darton Lane in the roll out of the SIDs and in addition to ask for a road safety assessment to be carried out in light of the increasing number of serious incidents which are happening on the road.”
But Tom, and other residents, are fearful this will not be enough.
“Someone could die,” he added.
“I don’t feel like SIDs are enough.
“There needs to be tougher measures put in place, whether that be more police or something else.
“But something definitely needs to be done.”
However Coun James Higginbottom, cabinet spokesperson for environment and highways, has confirmed the site is not deemed as ‘high risk’.
He told the Chronicle: “We will always investigate any road safety concerns raised by residents, and as a member of the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership, we work with agencies such as the local police and fire service to make our roads safer.
“Each year we invest more than £11m on highway maintenance and improvement activities, which contribute to improved road safety across the borough.
“We have to consider the impact these investments will have on the reduction of serious incidents.
“Therefore, we prioritise areas that pose the highest risk to residents on our roads.
“Darton Lane between Towngate and Sackup Lane is currently not identified as a high risk site and therefore would not meet the criteria for action to be taken.
“However, we continue to monitor our roads and if the situation changes in this area our teams will reassess.”
