A Nottinghamshire ford has been closed to all vehicles with immediate effect amid "increasingly dangerous and irresponsible driving" through it. The Rufford Ford near Ollerton regularly ends up being at least two feet deep in water, but many motorists still try and go through it.
This has led to several cars having to be abandoned in the ford over the years. Recently, the site has also become an unlikely tourist attraction, as drivers speed up before hitting the ford so as to splash the onlooking crowd.
But authorities say such behaviour is putting drivers and pedestrians at risk and the ford has therefore been closed for the foreseeable future. Nottinghamshire County Council says it had been working closely with Via East Midlands and Nottinghamshire Police to look at ways to improve safety in the area.
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But the authority says that the closure will now be remaining in place until a longer-term solution has been developed. Councillor Neil Clarke, cabinet member for transport and environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: "Road safety remains a high priority for the county council, and it is because of this that we, along with our partners, will be putting this closure in place immediately.
"We know that Rufford Ford has become popular with locals and those from further afield, but we cannot stress enough that dangerous driving in this area cannot continue because it puts the safety of motorists and pedestrians at risk. Work with our multi-agency partners has been ongoing for some time to discuss safety measures at Rufford Ford and a feasibility study for traffic calming measures has been carried out.
"There is already a significant amount of road safety signage around the ford which has been in place for some time to keep all road users safe, however due to the increase in incidents at Rufford Ford, we feel that the safest solution is to put a temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) in place while longer-term solutions can be developed further. The closure has been put in place with immediate effect and will be in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the foreseeable future."
The Rufford Ford is situated near the historic Rufford Abbey, as well as Rufford Golf Club. It is used by many commuters coming from areas such as Nottingham and Mansfield as a shortcut.
Inspector Matthew Ward, District Commander for Newark and Sherwood, said: "It is with regret that as a result of consultation between Nottinghamshire Police, Via East Midlands and Nottinghamshire County Council, a closure of Rufford Ford to all vehicle traffic will immediately come into effect on the grounds of safety.
"We appreciate that Rufford Ford is an integral part of the estate, however increasingly dangerous and irresponsible driving seen at the location which is putting vehicle occupants and viewing public at significant danger. This decision has been made to safeguard and prevent harm to both highway users and pedestrians."
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