The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Safety review call for deadly junction
ARBROATH: Cyclist’s lucky escape in latest town centre incident
A cyclist’s lucky escape at an Arbroath town centre junction where a teenager died in 2001 has led to renewed calls for a safety review.
The cyclist escaped serious injury after he was involved in a collision with a double decker at the junction of High Street and Lordburn on Friday afternoon.
In 2001, a sheriff called for a full safety review and tighter policing of traffic regulations at the busy junction following the tragic death of 13-year-old Jamie Bell.
The Arbroath High School pupil was also struck by a double decker when he was cycling against the one-way system on upper High Street to make a dental appointment.
Town councillor Brenda Durno said: “I think we need to look at this again. I’ve had reports about this area for a long time now.”
Roads chiefs have been urged to investigate possible safety improvements at an Arbroath town centre junction following a cyclist’s escape from serious injury.
The crash occurred at the same spot where a teenager on a bike was killed in similar circumstances in 2001.
In the latest incident the cyclist was rushed to hospital on Friday afternoon after being involved in a collision with a double-decker bus at the junction of High Street and Lordburn.
It is understood the cyclist was not badly hurt, but the incident has led to renewed calls for council experts to look again at the location after a number of near misses.
Arbroath councillor Brenda Durno said she intends to raise the issue with roads officers in the wake of an escalating number of reports of pedestrians or cyclists coming out of the High Street and encountering traffic – particularly buses – heading down Abbey Path into Lordburn.
“It’s a narrow piece of the road and people are not expecting a bus to be coming down there,” said the councillor.
“I’ve had reports about this part of the town for ages, including cyclists coming out of the High Street and there being near misses.
“There are also pedestrian crossings there, but the elderly are not getting enough time to cross the road and it is a busy part of town.”
In 2001, 13-year-old Jamie Bell died when he was involved in a collision with a double-decker as it travelled down Abbey Path to Lordburn.
The youngster, on a mountain bike, was heading along High Street for a dental appointment when the accident happened.
At a subsequent fatal accident inquiry, a sheriff paid tribute to the dignity of the teenager’s devoted parents.
Sheriff Norrie Stein said Jamie’s mother and father had left no stone unturned in their quest to avoid any repeat of such a tragedy.
The sheriff’s recommendations included a requirement for Angus Council to carry out a full survey of the junction to identify possible safety improvements, and a call for better policing of road traffic regulations there.
He highlighted the danger faced by cyclists, skateboarders and rollerbladers at the upper end of the High Street where it meets Abbey Path and Lordburn.
An Angus Council spokesman said: “We are aware of Friday afternoon’s road traffic collision and await the outcome of Police Scotland’s investigation.”