Chris Hill Councillors and police have been urged to take action over two accident blackspots in Fakenham.The concerns were raised at the annual assembly of the town meeting at Fakenham College's conference centre last Tuesday.

Chris Hill

Councillors and police have been urged to take action over two accident blackspots in Fakenham.

The concerns were raised at the annual assembly of the town meeting at Fakenham College's conference centre last Tuesday.

A member of the public said he had seen regular accidents at the junction where the B1105 Wells Road meets the A148 Fakenham Bypass, and a junction in Hempton where the Dereham Road crosses the link road to the A1065. But he was told the accident history at the two sites did not warrant expensive corrective action.

David Callaby, county councillor for Fakenham, said: “What I have been told is that the accidents that have happened at these junctions have not had sufficient numbers of serious injuries or deaths to justify work being done.”

The member of the public who put the question said to Mr Callaby: “The junction at Hempton has an accident every month on average and I have seen the Air Ambulance on more than one occasion. Perhaps as our county councillor for Fakenham you should push them harder.”

Fakenham police sergeant Tony Toynton said all accidents were recorded by Norfolk's roads policing unit, and would be referred to county highways officers if the road design was believed to be at fault.

Matt Worden, highway manager for Norfolk County Council, said: “The council has an accident reduction budget and we use the police statistics to focus that money on where the accidents happen. The council has a very good reputation for exceeding government standards for accident reduction.”