Concerns have been raised over the state of a major road, dubbed 'one of the most dangerous in Nottinghamshire', after two cars were said to have flipped on their roofs in just one month. Almost 700 people have signed a petition calling for improvements to Park Lane B6018, which connects Selston and Kirkby-in-Ashfield.
David Martin, Nottinghamshire County Councillor for Selston, handed the petition in at a county council meeting on March 31. The councillor, who also represents the Underwoood Ward, told Nottinghamshire Live that problems were being caused by excess mud on the road known locally as Bentinck Lane.
"There's a lot of excess mud because of haulage contractors. The mud from the lorries is blocking the drains," he said. Cllr Martin said passing lorries caused mud to block the drainage system, leaving the road prone to freezing due to the remaining surface water.
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He added that two motorists had flipped their cars onto their backs in separate incidents throughout February, one due to ice and another due to mud. "A lot of accidents are going under the radar because they are not being reported properly," he continued. "Both cars flipped on their back. It was one young bloke and one middle aged woman."
“I’d like to thank Selston resident Cathy McClean and the residents who signed her petition. One of the biggest complaints I receive as a councillor is not just about the state of our broken roads and pavements but about the safety of them. Park Lane is one of the most dangerous stretches of road in Nottinghamshire."
Neil Clarke, Chairman of the Transport and Environment Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council acknowledged the petition and said he was happy to meet with Cllr Martin "to discuss the concerns which have been raised". “We have completed several safety schemes on Park Lane in previous years including the most recent in July 2021 with the introduction of road signs and markings on the bend adjacent to the rail crossing – which has been the site of three accidents involving injury in dry conditions since 2015 – as part of the county council’s commitment to improving Nottinghamshire’s roads,” he added.
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Others who have signed the petition raised a number of issues with the road, which has a 60mph speed limit, and shared their own experiences. Richard Thompson, a firefighter from Adlington, wrote on change.org: "I'm more than aware of the dangers this road has hidden, and have attended many collisions on this stretch as a firefighter. A relative also had a collision on there at a very low speed."
Sheena Pearce said that an accident in 2012 meant she had to write off her car. "This was due to the road, no other cars were involved," she added.
Chloe Shephard, from Nottingham, said: "It is a dangerous bit of road. The speed limit needs to be reduced as its too high for the sort of road it is etc."
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Christine Quinn-Wilcox, of Selston, said that the edges of the road were "crumbling away". "The potholes are making the road far more dangerous when it rains and is muddy from works on the nearby fields," she added.
