Fatality fears over wrong way drivers
Traffic moving swiftly along the new A4 carriageway between Dungannon and Ballygawley.
MOTORISTS are regularly driving the wrong direction down this brand new four-lane road — the main gateway to the west of the province.
Fears of a disastrous high-speed collision have led to urgent calls for fresh action to deal with the problem, which new signage has failed to stem.
At least 12 incidents have occurred on the newly-built stretch of the A4, which was completed a year ago almost to motorway standard.
Roads Service have already put up new signs in a bid to stop the potentially lethal problem, but some drivers remain unaware that the new road is a dual carriageway with two lanes in each direction separated by a central barrier.
Experts are baffled because the error is difficult to make, and entails a sharp right turn off slip roads that orientate drivers to the left.
In an ironic twist, the road was partly built for safety reasons and followed a long campaign for an upgrade to the previous single carriageway.
It had a high fatality rate, often caused by frustrated drivers overtaking slower vehicles such as tractors.
The new stretch of the A4 is in effect an extension of the M1 west of Dungannon, and carries heavy traffic between Belfast and towns including Omagh and Enniskillen.
The DUP peer Lord Morrow says the mistake has involved vehicles joining from a number of junctions, and travelling in both directions between Stangmore and Ballygawley.
“There is no set pattern here,” he said.
“I received a report of a mother and her two daughters travelling from Enniskillen towards Dungannon last Monday morning, who were left very badly shaken after a vehicle literally approached them in their own lane, at high speed.
“Only for the swift actions of the mother who managed to swerve her car sharply into the left, this could have had dreadful consequences.”
Lord Morrow said a Roads Service engineer advised him there have been 10 such reported incidents recently.
“That didn’t include the case I informed him of and a further one which is currently being investigated,” he said.
In addition to the 12, he added, there were likely further unreported incidents.
“This very welcome road, which was long campaigned for, carries a substantial volume of traffic daily, including heavy vehicles, express buses and general commuters.
“It is a valuable asset but it cannot be allowed to present this kind of danger.”
With a speed limit of 70mph, and winter conditions arriving, Lord Morrow said “urgent action” was needed to ensure drivers are aware of the dangers, including motorway-standard signage.
A Roads Service spokesperson said: “In response to the number of known incidences Roads Service erected additional signage at 16 junctions to help raise driver awareness of the status of the new dual carriageway.
“Unfortunately, further incidents of ‘wrong way driving’ on the dual carriageway have continued to occur.
“The department is in the process of conducting a final safety audit to assess the issue and to identify any further measures that may be required to help address the matter.”
Police have asked motorists to pay special attention to road signs.
Earlier this year, Inspector Keith Jamieson said: “We have had several reports of motorists joining from side roads and then turning onto the wrong carriageway.
“In the past they have been used to coming to a junction to the old road and then, for example, simply turning right to go to Belfast. Now they should not do that, but should continue under the new road to a slip road that allows them to make a left turn towards their destination.”
He added: “Driving the ‘wrong’ way along a dual carriageway is incredibly dangerous, given that traffic on the road can be travelling at up to 70mph.”
Mr Jamieson was speaking in October after a collision involving three cars, one of which was on the wrong carriageway. Police arrested the driver of the third vehicle on suspicion of causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving.
Lord Morrow said: “This road is probably built to the highest specification and safety standard of any road in the UK, yet they are still turning right.”
Wesley Johnston, a roads enthusiast who runs a popular website, said: “The odd incident like this can happen anywhere, but if this happening monthly it suggests there may be an ambiguity somewhere along the line.”
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
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