Petition pleads for retention of Wandylaw junction improvements
A PETITION calling for the retention of the recently widened junction leading from the A1 to the Wandylaw wind farm site has been submitted.
The 100-signature list was collected from Ellingham and surrounding hamlets and handed over to Northumberland County Council.
The junction improvements have only been carried out on a temporary basis as part of the planning agreement between the wind farm developers, Ridge Wind and the Highways Agency. It has allowed large vehicles to access the wind farm site during construction works and is due to be removed when the turbines are up.
However, petitioners argue that the widened junction is much safer than the original as it affords greater visibility when exiting on to the A1.
They also state that the original exit from the A1 was a sharp left hand turn and quite often drivers were surprised by the lack of any slip road and took the corner too fast, causing a real danger to any car emerging on to the A1.
The newly widened junction allows any car approaching the Wandylaw junction to take the exit more readily and also allows vehicles emerging on to the A1 sufficient room to do so without potential collision.
The petitioners also suggest that since the development of Wandylaw wind farm the usage of the junction has greatly increased which has increased the potential for accidents.
If the junction was to be retained permanently it would create additional maintenance liability for the Highways Agency, estimated by the council at around £50,000.
North area committee members agreed to ask the Highways Agency to continue its discussions with Ridge Wind with the idea of retaining the new junction.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Berwick-Upon-Tweed
Saturday 25 May 2013
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 6 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 7 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South west
