A woman was taken to hospital with head injuries following a two-car collision on the A591 near Thirlmere last Saturday morning, adding to “alarming” accident statistics on that stretch of road.
One of the vehicles – a Vauxhall Astra – ended up on its roof following the incident which also involved a Suzuki Swift. Emergency services attended the accident which happened shortly before 9am. No serious injuries were reported.
A Freedom of Information request from Keep Thirlmere Open campaigner Mark Hatton has revealed that there has been a disturbing rise in the number of accidents on the A591 between Legburthwaite (bottom of St John’s-in-the-Vale) and Dunmail Raise over the past five years.
Between 2019 and 2020 there was only one accident reported, which in 2021 increased to three before another rise to eight in 2022. The figures for 2023 reveal that there have been 10 accidents up to October 31 which do not include Saturday’s accident.
“These accident statistics are really alarming,” said Mr Hatton, who has led the group which is campaigning to get the U7003 road on the west side of Thirlmere re-opened as quickly as possible. “Whilst we always knew that the A591 along the east side of Thirlmere was dangerous, we can now see stark evidence that the accident rate is increasing at a frightening rate.
“These dangers are particularly serious for vulnerable road users like cyclists. But motorists are regularly coming to grief along this road and the inevitable traffic jams that such incidents create are very disruptive to all other road users and in themselves create further dangers.
“Whilst it isn’t possible to prove a causal link between the increased accident rate on the A591 along the east side of Thirlmere with the closure of the Thirlmere West Road, it is further compelling evidence that denying cyclists the ability to use the west road is exposing them to very serious peril.
“Perhaps, counter intuitively, efforts by the Highways Authority to make the A591 along the east side of Thirlmere safer appear to have had the opposite effect.
“The 40mph speed limit seems to have increased the number of very dangerous overtaking manoeuvres along this stretch of road. Whilst the recent work on the drains that run alongside this stretch of road appear to have failed to prevent the road often being overwhelmed by rainfall, leading to dangerously deep puddles and slippery surface water.
“The road remains very prone to black ice which appears to be the cause of the recent spate of accidents and blockages, which are not yet in the accident statistics. Cumberland Highways needs to take a fresh look at road safety measures here as a matter of some urgency.”
