The A16 is a main route for thousands of drivers including Emergency Services.  Each time there is an accident it causes delays, mayhem on surrounding country lanes and affects the Village Shop's income detrimentally.  Hall Corner in East Keal has been known for many years as being a dangerous bend.  It is a sharp bend with an adverse camber that is too narrow for large HGV's to navigate without colliding or mounting the footpath on a daily basis.  It has been the location of many accidents but if driven sensibly it can be negotiated without issue; however there are many drivers that ignore the warning signs in place and still take this corner too fast.  We are campaigning for permanent traffic lights to be installed to physically stop and slow down vehicles reducing the risk of an accident with devastating consequences.

Over the years, Lincolnshire County Council have installed a safety barrier, advisory 20mph speed limit, slow lines on the road, bend warning signs, an adverse camber sign, chevron signs, hazard marker posts, changed the speed in the village from 40mph to 30mph and recently reinstated the double white lines.

This has obviously not made enough of a difference to prevent accidents happening.  Some drivers are not taking notice of signs and road markers so tougher action is now needed.  Permanent traffic lights that capture red light jumpers would physically make the vehicles stop and force them to navigate the bend at the advised speed.  These could be priority red for vehicles travelling through the village towards Boston.  They could be on timers during the day and sensors during the evenings/night when the road is quieter.  There are currently temporary traffic lights in place which are making a huge difference in the speed of vehicles on the bend but are not causing significant delays.  There could be concrete bollards or another barrier along the road to block the lane whilst also protecting pedestrians and residents.  Any vehicles that overturned would then land on the lane and not on the footpath potentially saving a life.

Pedestrians and residents live in fear of another accident.  It has only been by chance that there have not been serious injuries in the previous accidents.  There are many residents who wait for there to be no large vehicles and then hurry along the footpath to get along it as quick as possible out of fear.  There are other residents who refuse to use the footpath altogether.

On 09/10/21 a tractor and trailer carrying shredded maize overturned on the bend and crushed the 'safety' barrier and landed on the footpath.  If anyone had been on the footpath at the time it would be have been a fatality.

Since then a Highways Officer and County Councillor surveyed the scene.  The Highways conclusion was that as majority of vehicles navigate the bend successfully it is safe and not financially viable for further safety improvements.

Whilst waiting 47 days for the safety barrier to be repaired, leaving pedestrians and residents vulnerable, over 3 vehicles collided with it.

Then, unfortunately on 08/02/22 a cement mixer overturned on the bend, damaging the footpath and cracking the water pipe leaving hundreds of residents without water for hours.  The driver escaped with minor injuries but if there had been a pedestrian on the footpath it would have been a fatality.  If myself, my husband or my neighbours had been using the drive it would have been a fatality.  If myself or my husband were in the garden it could have caused serious injury.  It also caused thousands of pounds of damage to my property.

By installing permanent traffic lights; vehicles will have to stop and take the bend slower drastically reducing the risk of losing control and overturning, reducing the overall risk of accidents on the bend, and reducing the risk of serious injury or death to drivers, pedestrians and residents.

Pedestrians have a right to feel safe using the footpath.  We and other residents have a right to feel safe in our property, including our gardens.