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Last ditch bid to save lives on 'danger road'
SPEED cameras could soon be installed along one of the country's most dangerous roads in a last-ditch attempt to improve safety.
Road campaigners want to place a series of average speed cameras along the length of the scenic A537 Cat and Fiddle route between Buxton and Macclesfield.
The eight-mile stretch – which is popular with motorcyclists – came top in a risk assessment of 'most dangerous roads in Britain' published by safety campaign group Eurorap last year.
Accident figures showed that, since 2001, there had been 43 fatal or serious collisions, more than half of which involved bikers.
The ambitious camera project would cost around 1.2 million, and a bid for funding has been submitted to the Department of Transport by Cheshire County Council, on behalf of Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership and Derbyshire Partnership for Road Safety.
Lee Murphy, Manager of Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership, said: "There is a feeling that the Cat and Fiddle is a 'no, no' for some people, so we want to make it a more pleasant place for everyone.
"A large majority of motorcyclists use that road very responsibly, but we hope these cameras will deter those more risky bikers from going up there at high speeds."
Since 2000, around 500,000 has been spent on new safety measures along the road. These include reducing the speed limit, new high friction surfacing, high visibility warning signs, motorcycle-friendly safety barriers and widening of the carriageway.
But Mr Murphy added this latest option was a last-ditch effort: "Although a lot of work has gone on up there, we still have a consistent problem. We have to do something about that road, short of putting policemen up there 24/7."
Last year's Eurorap assessment revealed that, if collisions involving motorcyclists were removed from the analysis, the A537 would move from being one of the highest risk roads in the country to being one of the safest.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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