A PILOT scheme to reduce speedrelated accidents in Cheshire could soon be tested out on one of the county's most dangerous roads.
Highways officers at Cheshire County Council are proposing to introduce traffic calming measures on a trial basis along the length of the A530, which runs from Northwich through Middlewich, Crewe and Nantwich to the county boundary.
One of the ideas is introducing hedges to the roadside in a bid to slow motorists down. If deemed successful, the scheme would be extended to Aroads across Cheshire and eventually applied to the remainder of the county's road system.
The road has been chosen because of its high accident rate and is broadly representative of the variety of the road network in Cheshire.
Particular attention will be paid to roads passing through villages, as the county council has received a high number of complaints from concerned residents of rural communities. The county council is considering recategorising some rural hamlets which do not qualify for traffic calming measures at present and ultimately aims to limit speeds in all Cheshire villages to 40mph.
Many of the initiatives will be aimed at changing the way that motorists perceive the roads on which they drive.
Research has found that drivers will often disregard formal speed limits and instead drive at a speed they consider appropriate for the road they are travelling on.
Suggested measures include introducing coloured road surfacing, adjusting the width of roads and erecting barriers and hedges to make bends appear tighter.
The scheme could also use solar or wind-powered computerised signs which would react to the speed of approaching cars and warn motorists to slow down.
