Calls for Broughton Hill junction safety measures after two serious collisions

Strong calls are being made for safety measures to be put in place on a stretch of the A606 near Melton after two separate collisions this month which led to the death of a woman and left a motorcyclist with a serious injury.
The A606 crossroads between Ab Kettleby and Nether Broughton where there have been two serious collisions this month EMN-210714-093940001The A606 crossroads between Ab Kettleby and Nether Broughton where there have been two serious collisions this month EMN-210714-093940001
The A606 crossroads between Ab Kettleby and Nether Broughton where there have been two serious collisions this month EMN-210714-093940001

The incidents were just the latest in a series of crashes and near misses at the junction with Six Hills Lane, between Nether Broughton and Ab Kettleby.

The woman, who was 50, died on Sunday, nine days after being taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC), in Nottingham, with serious injuries.

She was a passenger in a car which was in collision with another vehicle.

Leicestershire County Council member for Melton Wolds, Joe Orson EMN-210714-094342001Leicestershire County Council member for Melton Wolds, Joe Orson EMN-210714-094342001
Leicestershire County Council member for Melton Wolds, Joe Orson EMN-210714-094342001

Emergency services were called out to the junction again on Monday, when a motorcycle rider was taken to the same hospital after a collison involving a van.

Leicestershire County Council is now reviewing the safety of the crossroads following a request by Councillor Joe Orson, member for the Melton Wolds division.

He told the Melton Times: “I have asked the county council for a full review on the junction to see what can be done.

“I can speak from personal experience about the dangers there.

“Coming from Nether Broughton, you go up the hill and on two occasions I’ve had people coming from the Six Hills direction just going straight across the road.

“I’ve seen it also coming from Melton, someone came from the Belvoir way and just went straight across it.

“I ended up on the grass verge, went up kerbstones and stopped just in time before I went through the hedge because I put the brakes on that much I lost control of the car.”

Broughton and Old Dalby Parish Council has also voiced concerns on the safety of the junction and it commented this week: “Following two recent serious road traffic accidents at the junction at the top on Broughton Hill on the A606 the parish council have been in contact with the county councillor and the local police to voice their concerns and they are both now involved in taking our concerns forward to the serious collision investigation unit and highways department at Leicestershire County Council.”

Local people have long been worried about the dangers at Broughton Hill, including Ruth Wakeling, from the Bouverie Lodge bison and deer farm and farmshop at Nether Broughton.

She contacted us by Facebook this week to say: “Nearly weekly there are very serious incidents on this crossroads.

“Something has to be done and be done quickly.

“Every road leading to this junction needs better signage and perhaps white lines put on the road in order to warn people, especially on the road leading from Long Clawson and along the saltway.

“Local people know how dangerous this junction is and take great care, but unfortunately strangers to the area are unaware.”

Anyone with information about the July 2 incident at 6.22pm, involving a black Volkswagen Golf and a silver Vauxhall Corsa,is asked to contact police on 101, quoting incident 559 of July 2 or they can go to www.leics.police.uk to give information.

Det Con Kasie Carter, of Leicestershire Police, said: “Sadly a woman has died in hospital following the collision which happened on July 2.

“Our enquiries remain ongoing establishing the full circumstances of the collision and we have been speaking to a number of witnesses.

“We do ask however that if anyone does have any information in relation to the incident and has not yet spoken to us that you ensure you make contact with us.

“This includes anyone who saw either of the vehicles prior to the collision, anyone who witnessed the incident and anyone who has dashcam footage from the area at the time.”