State-of-the-art speed cameras to be installed along Doncaster ‘accident black-spot’

The cameras will be installed on parts of the A635 Barnsley Road from the A1 towards the villages of Hickleton and Marr.

The devices will take the average speed of two points along the stretch of road which are proven to slow vehicles down along greater distances.

Dick Clark, chairman of the Hickleton Bypass Action Group, said there had been 17 ‘major traffic collisions’ and added that 13 have been at crossroads in the village along with numerous ‘bumps that don’t get reported’.

The campaign group have been lobbying politicians for some years to build a bypass around the two villages, which was actually planned 30 years ago but never happened.

Hickleton and Marr often experience heavy lorries coming through the villages either in both directions leaving and heading towards the A1(M).

The issue has become so bad that both villages have some of the highest levels of air pollution in the country.

A recent council report revealed eight areas in the borough that have dangerous levels of nitrogen dioxide as a result from vehicle emissions including the A635 Barnsley Road in Hickleton and Marr – the seventh highest in terms of air pollution in England.

Sprotbrough councillor Cynthia Ransome, whose ward includes Hickleton and Marr, described the speed cameras as ‘state-of-the-art’ and said it was the ‘first step’ in achieving better outcomes for residents.

She said: “It’s wonderful news because we’ve had so many accidents here and people do speed along this route and get impatient,” she said.

“But what I’m particularly pleased about is that it’s measuring an average of 50 miles per hour, so you’re not going to get this lurching up to a break and then speeding up.

"We’re going to get a steady flow of traffic, which will be better.

“Obviously the wider goal is still the bypass because the air pollution there is quite bad in the villages.

“This is going to help, this is a start. We’ve been campaigning about air pollution and the road safety aspect for both pedestrians and motorists. This is step one.”

It is understood funding has been sought in conjunction with South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership. Costs have not been revealed at this point.

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