Safety recommendations for Leighton Buzzard southern bypass revealed after four fatal accidents

Any short-term measures to improve safety on the Leighton Buzzard southern bypass would be welcome because “people are dying on this road and that’s heartbreaking”.

Leighton-Linslade Town Council submitted a petition to Central Bedfordshire Council last year calling for “an urgent review of highway safety along the whole of the single carriageway sections of the route”.

CBC commissioned engineering services company Jacobs to undertake a collision analysis study along the A505 and A4146 between the A5 Watling Street to the east and Wing Hill roundabout to the west.

The data collected from May 2016 to March 2022 showed a total of 51 personal injury collisions over the period in question, according to a report to a CBC traffic management meeting.

“There were four fatalities, ten seriously injured and 36 slight injuries along the 6.2 mile section of road,” said the report.

Bedfordshire, Cambrigeshire and Hertfordshire road policing unit did a traffic survey on the bypass in July 2020, which showed average speeds of 54mph.

As part of the study, a week-long survey on the A4146 last July showed average speeds of 48mph.

Recommendations from Jacobs included:

> a review of signage and road markings to reinforce the speed limit;

> a check on the junctions against current design standards;

> consider the speed limit against current CBC policy;

> examine options for non-motorised highway users on the road and crossing it;

> and cost benefit analysis on all proposed improvement to priorities based on current budget forecast.

“The study of the A505/A4146 identifies the extent of the concern with personal injury collisions on the route,” added the report.

“The details provided support the need to investigate the traffic flow and how best to address the findings of this research.”

CBC’s principal highways officer Peter Orchard said: “The council identified money in the current financial year to assess the recommendations identified by Jacobs and prioritise those deemed most beneficial against available funds.

“With the need for surveys and more data collection, the design is expected to cover much of the current financial year. But officers will consider the signage and markings as advised.

“There’s £10,000 in the current annual plan to be spent on this. Officer time and surveys take up the bulk of that cost, as well as employing designers to review our options and their suitability.”

Independent Linslade councillor Victoria Harvey warned: “We’ve the dual carriageway from Milton Keynes and the A5/M1 link road from Dunstable. You’re in the mood for driving fast.

“There’s a tight little roundabout at Chalk Hill and then you feel you can accelerate. You reach the A505 and are puzzled you’re in a 40mph zone.

“We need something to wake people up that you’re no longer on a high speed section. There’s also concern about the state of the road and that traffic islands could be better lit.

“It’s a wide single carriageway, which was popular in the 1980s but isn’t built now.

“Any short-term measures which could prevent overtaking would be welcome because people are dying on this road and that’s heartbreaking for the town.”