Petition launched for safety measures at an accident blackspot on the edge of Harborough

James Towson, 21, has launched a Facebook petition calling for immediate action
James Towson, 21, has now launched a Facebook petition calling for immediate action at the towns Kettering Road junction with the A6.James Towson, 21, has now launched a Facebook petition calling for immediate action at the towns Kettering Road junction with the A6.
James Towson, 21, has now launched a Facebook petition calling for immediate action at the towns Kettering Road junction with the A6.

An accident blackspot on the edge of Market Harborough should be made safer urgently, motorists are demanding.

James Towson, 21, has now launched a Facebook petition calling for immediate action at the town’s Kettering Road junction with the A6.

He’s acting after a string of crashes – including one recently – at the infamous Clack Hill crisis spot.

Worried James, who lives nearby, told the Harborough Mail: “This junction has become notorious over the years for accidents.

“It’s a serious blackspot.

“We need action to be taken there to make it safer as soon as possible.”

The operations manager at Lutterworth Leisure Centre added: “My petition has already been signed by over 425 local people.

“People across Harborough feel the same as I do – that this blackspot has got to be sorted out now.”

James said he was spurred into action after a young woman miraculously escaped unhurt after her cream Fiat 500 flipped on to its roof just yards short of the busy A6 on Monday June 8.

“The driver’s mum has said it’s so good that I am trying to do something about this junction – it’s just so dangerous,” he said.

“My girlfriend drives a Fiat 500 so this crash really struck home with me.

“I want to see speed cameras installed at the spot to try to slow speeding motorists down.

“And I also believe that the right turn there right across the middle of the A6 should be banned.

“It’s a very tricky manoeuvre to pull off.

“I think drivers should be made to turn left and head down to the roundabout at the bottom of the road – it’s only minutes away after all.

“I know that we are supposed to be getting a new roundabout at Clack Hill.

“That will be a real plus but that could be 10 years away.

“I’ll probably close the petition when we hit 1,000 signatures.

“I’ll then submit it to the highways authority, Leicestershire County Council, and urge them to act on behalf of us all.”

If you would like to support James’s campaign you can sign his petition here:

https://www.change.org/KetteringRoadA6BlackSpot

Cllr Trevor Pendleton, Leicestershire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, told the Mail: "We’re aware of the petition calling for a review on the A6.

“We’ve been carefully assessing the details of accident data from the location over a period of time and we continue to evaluate if there are measures which could be introduced.”

He added: “The council also has to consider that the junction is being changed to a roundabout in due course as part of a housing development.

“We don’t, at this stage, have a timescale for the work to start on the roundabout.”