Two of Derbyshire’s roads that were ranked in the top 50 of the highest risk roads in England are to benefit from a £5.6 million of government grant from the Safer Roads Fund.

Derbyshire councillors will review plans to undertake public consultation about the proposed safety improvements for the A5004 Long Hill Buxton to Whaley Bridge and the A5012 Via Gellia Cromford to Newhaven road at a meeting of our cabinet on 8 September 2022.

Significantly, the proposals include potentially introducing average speed cameras along the A5004 between Buxton and Whaley Bridge and on the A5012 from the Bonsall Junction area, north westwards towards Newhaven to tackle excessive speeding by road users. This option would be subject to feedback from local residents and would be part of a comprehensive review of speed limits on the roads.

The council intends to hold a public consultation about the proposals including exhibitions with displays and highway experts on hand to answer questions from members of the public.

Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal, our Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport said: “We are committed to making Derbyshire’s roads a safer place for everyone and we welcome the significant £5.6 million grant from the government’s Safer Roads Fund.

“The A5004 Long Hill Buxton to Whaley Bridge and the A5012 Via Gellia Cromford to Newhaven road have both ranked in the top 50 of the highest risk roads in England.

“To improve safety along these two roads, we have developed a range of proposals including redesigning road junctions, better signing, new pedestrian crossings and the limited use of average speed cameras on rural sections of both routes.

“Our next steps will be to talk to the local community and people who use both routes to gather their feedback about our proposals to help us, together, significantly improve safety along both routes.”

The proposals for the A5004, which are subject to public consultation, could include the following safety improvements:

• average speed cameras from the 30mph limit in Buxton to the 30mph limit in Whaley Bridge to tackle inappropriate speeding and reduce the number and severity of collisions
• a comprehensive review of speed limits along the route
• improving the junction with the A53 in Buxton
• new rumble strips to alert drivers to speed limit changes
• a new crossing point on the outskirts of Whaley Bridge
• cycling improvements between Buxton and Whaley Bridge helping to link the area to the county’s cycle network
• better signing, lining and improved drainage to reduce surface water flooding

The A5004 is currently closed between Buxton and Whaley Bridge with work underway to repair a major landslip, but is expected to reopen soon.

The proposals for the A5012, which are subject to public consultation, could include the following safety improvements:

• average speed cameras from the Bonsall Junction area, north westwards towards Newhaven
• a comprehensive review of speed limits along the route.
• reducing the national speed limit section to 50mph from Grange Mill to Newhaven
• drainage improvements from Grange Mill to Cromford and at Newhaven to reduce surface water flooding during storms
• installing a new roundabout/improved junction at the Bonsall turn

Work on the first stretch of road in the county to benefit from the government’s Safer Road Fund is almost complete. In total £1.18m is being spent to improve safety along the ‘13 bends’ road between Bakewell and Baslow including new and improved junctions, right hand turn lanes and anti-skid surfacing to reduce collisions and new pedestrian crossings.

Subject to approval by councillors at next week’s Cabinet meeting, a public consultation will be held in the next few months for both the A5004 Long Hill proposals and the A5012 Via Gellia proposals, said the council.