Improved signage halves accidents on A4

SOUTH BUCKS & ROYAL BOROUGH: A report published this month has shown a 52 per cent decrease in road crashes on part of the A4 spanning both Berkshire and Bucks, writes Kieran Bell.

The findings, released by the Road Safety Foundation (RSF) and Ageas Insurance, show that £4m of associated collision costs on the NHS and courts could be saved.

In the publication

‘Looking Back – Moving Forward’, published last Thursday, the A4, between the M4 spur south-west of Burnham and the Wokingham/Reading boundary, is named as one of Britain’s most improved roads.

There has been a 52 per cent reduction in serious and fatal crashes between 2013-2015 and 2016-2018 here, with a decrease of 22 collisions.

The A4 spans across two counties along this stretch and several local authority areas, including the Royal Borough, Buckinghamshire, Wokingham and Slough.

This report focused on a 25km stretch of the A road, which has been the subject of serious collisions in the past.

One of the reasons for the reduction in crashes cited in the report is ‘signing improvements’ at the junction with Approach Road on the Bucks section in 2013.

A Transport for Buckinghamshire spokeswoman said: “The route saw a 52 per cent reduction in fatal and serious injuries from 42 in 2013-2015 to 20 in 2016-2018.

“The Buckinghamshire section of this route is 3km in length and saw a 63 per cent reduction in fatal and serious injury from 11 to 3 between these two threeyear periods.

“As a result of our annual collision analysis, in 2013 a safety scheme was installed at the junction of Approach Road and Bath Road with improved signing and lining. Since 2015 this junction has seen no reported serious injury collisions.”

A Thames Valley Police spokesman added: “This is a road that we often conduct high visibility patrols on during which we engage with motorists, so it is pleasing that this is having success.

“There are simple behavioural changes that you can make to become a safer driver, such as regularly checking your tyres or removing all distractions.”