A MAJOR road into Barnsley blighted by accidents could receive remedial work if a council-commissioned road survey flags up excess speed.

Huddersfield Road, one of the main routes into Barnsley from junction 38 of the M1, has a 50mph speed limit but a blackspot on the route Birthwaite Hill has been the subject of a survey this month.

The hill’s left-hand bend, before the road goes into Darton, has caught dozens of motorists out in recent years, leading to a number of crashes, some of which have been fatal.

Having been discussed at local crime meetings throughout the year, the Chronicle can reveal the council placed three traffic counters rubber tubes which stretch across carriageways to gather information relating to how many vehicles use the road, the maximum speed and an average.

Coun Linda Burgess said: “I understand the data collected from the assessment will be used to re-evaluate the speed limit and what’s currently in place to prevent accidents.

“It’s a challenging road as its 50mph limit is perfectly acceptable in places, such as either side of Birthwaite Hill, but it’s the downhill stretch in particular that causes no end of concern for me. Having a 50mph limit there is totally inappropriate. It catches people out and there’s always traffic queuing in order to turn right on Ballfield Lane after the left-hand bend.”

Coun Roy Miller, cabinet spokesperson, told the Chronicle the assessment is part of the programmed resurfacing of the road.

“A traffic survey is being carried out to determine the types and speed of vehicles using the road,” he added. “This data will be used to determine the effectiveness of the current measures.”