Middle Rasen woman slams council for failure to manage traffic

A Middle Rasen woman says there is '˜absolutely no regard for safety' in the village as a £600,000 flood prevention scheme continues.
County council has been crticised over temporary closure of the A46County council has been crticised over temporary closure of the A46
County council has been crticised over temporary closure of the A46

Helen Taylor, who lives in North Street, says that Lincolnshire County Council have so far failed to manage traffic during the temporary closure of the A46.

Ms Taylor said: “They’ve left the access at the top onto top road open, and the accesses back onto the A46 at both ends of the village open towards Lincoln and Market Rasen.

“So, now we have hundreds of cars flying through the village at breakneck speed and with absolutely no regard for safety.

“They could easily have managed this by putting a man on each entrance into the village and asking people to provide a utility bill with an address on.

“But they can’t be bothered to think further than fulfilling whatever job it is they’re supposed to be doing.

“As a consequence, we now face seven weeks of dangerous driving on roads not fit to take the level of traffic, nor the speed people are driving at.”

Ms Taylor spoke to the Rasen Mail last month, fearing that ‘all hell will break loose’.

At the time, she said: “The last time there was a closure of the A46 (due to resurfacing works) in Middle Riddle, they plonked a bloke in a van at the end of the road to stop people using it.

“He was too scared of abuse to stop people coming down and we ended up with a racetrack going past our house and through the village with people cutting through.

“I have a colossal issue with mismanagement of traffic and turning the back lanes of Middle Rasen into a rat run for two months. And believe me, if that happens - all hell will break loose.”

In response, Charlotte Hughes, senior project leader at LCC, said: “We are conscious that our works to improve flood protection in Middle Rasen could impact local residents and drivers, and have tried to minimise this as much as possible with advance notice and signage.

“Where possible, we are allowing access for residents in the area if their property is on, or just off, the A46 and have shortened the extent of any ‘hard’ road closures to help manage this traffic more carefully. We also have gatemen at each end of the works to help residents gain access.

“During the first week of the works, we have monitored the signage and impacts of the closure closely, and are aware that residents have concerns over the reported speed of traffic cutting through the village.”

In response, Ms Taylor claims the ‘barrier’ towards Market Rasen is ‘being manned in the wrong place’.

She said: “The last two mornings I have counted more than 200 cars coming west along North Street between 6am and 9am.

“The whole thing is stupid - I accept the council have a job to do, but they have a responsibility to make sure our roads are safe.

“The way they have left the access roads open and unmanned and have not been proactive, or firm enough with limiting people coming in, when this was obviously going to happen, has caused a dangerous situation.

“The volume and speed of the traffic is dangerous.

“The only reason the situation exists is that the council are not taking responsibility for limiting traffic coming into the village for people who have a legitimate reason to be here.”