IN recent times, the eastbound stretch of the A30, which connects Yeovil to Sherborne, has been the site of numerous road traffic accidents.

In July, an 11-year-old was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries following a crash; in the same month, there was a serious two-vehicle collision involving an 80-year old; and only last December, a fatal crash took place on this same stretch of dual carriageway.

This stretch of the A30 – known locally as Babylon Hill, or Yeovil Road – requires road safety improvements to mitigate the high number of incidents we have recently experienced and will continue to experience if nothing is done.

Over the last few years, I have met local residents to hear their concerns about the A30. In particular, the parishes of Bradford Abbas, Nether Compton and Over Compton, which are either bordered or bisected by this stretch of road, have vocalised their wish for measures to address excessive speed.

Their demands are warranted – joining the A30 from these villages via a minor road is very dangerous, especially with vehicles often travelling above the 70mph speed limit.

This is particularly hazardous at night, when it is not uncommon to encounter motorists doing speeds of over 100mph.

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Road safety is firmly on my agenda. It follows fatalities on this stretch of road, and the A3066 and the A35.

Only last year, I lost one of my best friends from primary school in a fatal accident on the road from Sherborne to Dorchester, and I am very aware of the impact accidents have on victims, their friends and families.

In April, I raised the matter of West Dorset’s road safety with the Roads Minister, Richard Holden, urging him to prioritise safety and standards on our roads, including the A30; and in 2021, I established my A-Roads taskforce to improve road safety across the constituency.

I am now of the view that clear action comes in the form of average speed cameras on the A30 between Sherborne and Yeovil. It is simply not enough for piecemeal measures, as this road has become a hotspot for avoidable accidents and an unofficial racetrack between the two towns.

I will be writing to the Highways Department at Dorset Council, which is responsible for the road, to voice my concerns and to set out my justification.

Average speed cameras use Automatic Number Plate Reading (ANPR) technology to record a date and time stamp between two cameras to calculate a motorist’s average speed.

In practical terms, it would mean that the A30 would have two cameras installed at least 200 metres apart, deterring speeding motorists and improving road safety in the long-term.

I would be interested to hear your views on this, and if you would like to share your views with me, you can email me at hello@chrisloder.co.uk.

CHRIS LODER
Conservative MP for West Dorset