High risk roads to get £5.6m safety investment

The A5004 winds its way between Buxton and Whaley Bridge

A £5.6m grant has been awarded to fund safety improvements on two Peak District roads ranked as being among the riskiest routes in England.

Derbyshire County Council is being given the cash from the Safer Roads Fund to pay for changes to the A5004 between Buxton and Whaley Bridge, and the A5012 Via Gellia Cromford to Newhaven Road.

Proposals include average speed cameras and redesigned junctions.

The council said public consultations would be held once plans were drawn up.

'Range of proposals'

The fund was set up by the Department for Transport to deliver safety improvements to 50 of England's most dangerous roads.

Both the A5004 and the A5012 are included on the list, the council said.

The authority said the consultations would include displays and input from road experts.

Kewal Singh Athwal, cabinet member for highways assets and transport, said: "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.

Executive director of the Road Safety Foundation Dr Suzy Charman said: "The Safer Roads Fund has been fundamental to improving road safety on some of the highest risk roads in England.

"We are pleased the schemes in Derbyshire are progressing and hope the changes can be implemented soon."