Prince Philip crash: Speed limit cut on deadly A149 road
Transport chiefs in Norfolk say they have been looking at improving safety along the accident hotspot "for some time".
Friday 18 January 2019 14:26, UK
The speed limit is to be cut and safety cameras installed on the road where Prince Philip crashed close to the Sandringham Estate.
The stretch of the A149 where the collision occurred has been the scene of 40 accidents - including five fatal - over six years to last May.
Norfolk County Council had already been due to meet on Friday to discuss safety on the road, where the 97-year-old Duke of Edinburgh's Land Rover had overturned less than 24 hours earlier after being involved in a collision with a Kia, leaving its two female occupants requiring hospital treatment.
At the meeting, councillors decided to reduce the speed limit on two sections of the A149 from 60mph to 50mph as well as install safety cameras.
Councillor Martin Wilby, chairman of the council's transport committee, said: "I am extremely sympathetic to everyone who was involved in yesterday's incident and wish everyone a speedy recovery. But it is not our place to speculate on the cause of last night's incident.
"We have been looking closely into the safety of the A149 for some time.
"A detailed report was submitted to the environment, development and transport committee by Norfolk County Council officers last week along with a recommendation to approve, at today's meeting, the implementation of a 50mph speed limit and to install road safety cameras.
"Based on the report and our dedication to the safety of the people in Norfolk, the committee has agreed to reduce the speed limit of the A149 to 50mph on two sections of the road and approved the Norfolk Camera Safety Partnership scheme to install road safety cameras along the road."
He added: "I am also aware of local concerns about some of the junctions along the A149. In light of this, we have agreed that further work must be added to Norfolk County Council's highways forward plan to investigate whether additional road safety measures need to be implemented.
"All the approved and future work will be carried out within the usual timescales."
He said the A149 was busy with about 15,000 vehicles using it a day, with much heavier usage in the summer due to it running towards the coast.
In a move to head off any suggestion the authority was acting in response to the royal accident, the council has pointed out the planned meeting had been scheduled last year, with the agenda set months in advance and supporting documents published on 10 January.
Speaking after the green light was given, Labour councillor Colleen Walker said the issue of road safety has been raised at "virtually every meeting" they have had.
"Of course people listen, but there's the financial implication and it is just pushed to one side," she said.
"I think the fact that it was the Duke of Edinburgh involved yesterday, it has brought this right to the forefront, and I think we will now see some speedy work done.
"Whether it was him or anybody else being hurt on that road yesterday, I think it just highlighted the fact we need those safety cameras and we need them now."
She said the A149 was a "very busy stretch" of road, with rural surroundings, blind corners and junctions with people coming in and out.
She said there was also the entrance to the Sandringham estate.
"I wouldn't say it was an accident waiting to happen, but it is something we have highlighted previously," she said.
"Unfortunately it was who it was, and I hate to say this, but if it hadn't have been him would we be discussing this today?
"We'd have just been talking as we do month after month about the problems we have with our rural roads, and the fact that we need safety cameras and we need all that safety equipment to protect us.
"It is not just about who was hurt yesterday."