A MAN who pulled a driver from the wreckage of his burning car in the third car crash outside his house in three weeks is calling for urgent action before someone is killed.
Michael Gill, 66, believes the council and the police need to do something to improve safety on the bend outside his home close to the Red Lion pub at Worsbrough Bridge were he says there have been countless acccidents, including three in three weeks.
He claims his own property has been hit by vehicles on average at least once a year for the last 20 years.
One car burst into flames in the latest crash on Sunday night at about 11pm.
The two car smash blocked the road for a number of hours while police officers, two fire engines and paramedics worked at the scene.
“It was carnage,” said Michael, of Sheffield Road. “There was screaming and shouting. It was bedlam.
“The car was on fire and I saw the man inside. I’m amazed that the car didn’t blow. I dragged him out of the car and dragged him as far away as possible.”
Emergency services have confirmed that three men were taken to hospital with serious, but not life threatening injuries.
Last Tuesday, at around midnight, there was a crash outside Michael’s home, demolihsing a telegraph pole and his garden wall.
“I’ve currently not got the internet or a landline and I’m having to up my mobile usage but in truth that is the least of my problems.
“I’ve spoken to the police a number of years ago but the chief constable at the time said statistically there are not enough accidents or losses of life, so I begrudgingly retreated.
“I’ve also spoken to Councillor Gill Carr who is local to this area. She has given me some degree of support but still nothing has been done.
“I’ve also spoken directly to highways but they have told me that nothing can be done.”
The hedge on the outside of Michael’s property has to be maintained for the visibility of drivers as it is on a corner but Michael is now afraid in case something happens while he is outside.
“I feel like my family and I are sitting ducks. I have no desire to be outside there, not to do the hedge or to fix the wall.
“Does someone have to die before something is done?
“On a nice day in summer, when I’m in the garden it is as though I’m in the middle of a Grand Prix circuit.”
The road has a 30mph speed limit and chevrons indicating the sharp bend.
Worsbrough councillor Gill Carr said the highways department is limited to what it can do due to legislation.
“I understand the legalities of highways, there isn’t really anything that they can do other than what they’ve done,” said Coun Carr.
“I do share Michael’s concerns about the number of accidents in the last six months, to my knowledge there has been five impacts.
“I don’t go up that road very often and I understand after speaking to Michael there was another incident on Sunday and that makes six.
“Unless someone is fatally injured, no one logs the accident and because it is not logged it does not flag as a black spot. I also believe there has to be more than one fatality before interventions can be implemented.
“What I have noticed personally is that there are no 30mph signs coming from Barnsley and I believe there should be one and also an indicator that the corner is a difficult manoeuvre at speed.”
Coun Roy Miller, cabinet spokesman, said: “We’ve had prior contact with Mr Gill in regards to this stretch of road. Engineers have visited the location and found no issues with the road.
“Unfortunately, problems often occur due to the speed of vehicles using this route. We have advised Mr Gill to raise this with the police.
“We’ve also explained that due to strict guidelines for the installation of barriers which are outlined within national road and bridge design specifications, this location doesn’t meet the criteria.”
A police spokesman told the Chronicle that the council would be responsible for any traffic calming measures, and that South Yorkshire Police can support this by providing statistics and enforcing speed limits.
