Back our call for A19 safety

The Echo is today launching a campaign urging the Government to improve safety on the A19.

Safe A19 is calling on the Department for Transport to listentothevoiceofWearsideand launchaninquiryintosafetyon the road.

We are joining forces with Easington MP Grahame Morris to demand action to cut the accident and death toll on this notorious blackspot.

The appeal follows two seriouscollisionsontheroadinjust afewdays.TwopeoplewereseriouslyhurtinMonda’sfour-vehiclesmashonthenorthbound carriageway near Seaton Lane, which left the road closed for six hours.Yesterday morning, a six-car pile-up near the A1018 sliproad at Seaham closed the southbound route for more thananhour,leavingthousands ofvehiclesinajamtrailingback to Sunderland.

Figures of fatal, serious andslightinjuryaccidentsduring2016arestillbeingcalculated and confirmed, but initial statistics show that between the WolvistoninterchangeandTesto’sRoundaboutatBoldon,there havebeen36collisionsinvolving 88 vehicles, causing 71 injuries, withsixsmashesclassedasserious. Figures for the year before reveal there were three deaths, 41seriouscrashesand275slight accidents, with six serious collisions on the section between Boldon and Seaham.

We have launched the petition via Change.org to gather support for the campaign. It can be signed via: http://bit. ly/2fuEZ20.

MrMorrishasbegantotweet the department – @transportgovuk – calling for action and urges others to follow his lead, usingthehashtags#A19#RoadSafety #InvestInTheNorth and #SafeA19.

The A19 is vital to the livelihood of the North East – it links five ports, steelworks and giant car plants and will serve the planned £90million International Advanced Manufacturing Park.

The A19 serves the region’s world-class industries – we want a world-class road.