'˜You take your life in your hands'

The crossroads of the A631 Magna Mile and B1225 High Street, between Ludford and North Willingham, has come out top in the government’s latest data analysis.

Data experts compiled a ‘league of shame’ after analysing more than 100,000 crashes in Britain from last year in which people were injured or killed.

The incidents at the A631 junction happened on February 3, February 21, June 13 and December 20 and involved a total of six vehicles and five injuries - all classed as ‘slight’.

Resident Sharon Johnson, who uses the junction regularly, said: “You drive down the Caistor High Road and take your life in your hands.

“This junction is particularly bad.

“The speed of cars coming from Market Rasen and Louth direction is very quick, it’s really difficult.

“The high grass means it’s not good for viewing - if you’re heading south it’s very hard.”

Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership spokesman John Siddle confirmed two of the four incidents at the junction had involved motorbikes, which he said was ‘not a surprise’.

He said: “I know that junction and if you’re looking north towards Market Rasen, it’s not a good view.

“It can be very difficult to get out there, especially if people are going at normal speed limit, which is 60mph there.

“We’ve done some work around there and put in extra signage warning drivers about motorcycles on the road.

“We’ve done quite a lot of work on our [Lincolnshire] part of the A631 and know it’s a high usage road by motorcycles.”

Mr Siddle said chevron signs on bends had been made from plastic, rather than metal, to make it safer for riders if they come off their motorbikes.

And he said special high friction surfaces has been used on the approach to roundabouts elsewhere on the A631.

The A46 junction at Welton was named as the second most dangerous in Lincolnshire.

Last week Lincolnshire County Council confirmed it has been ‘conditionally offered’ £4.6m as part of a £100m investment by the Government to improve some of the riskiest A-roads across the UK.

Road improvements on the A631 from Bishopbridge in the west to South Elkington near Louth in the east are expected to begin between 2019 and 2021.

According to a report by the Road Safety Foundation (RSF), £2,725,000 is expected to be spent on the A631 from Louth to Middle Rasen and £645,000 on the A631 from Middle Rasen to 
Bishopbridge.