'Fed up' Manea residents call for better signs at nightmare junction

An ambulance was involved in one of the three incidents on the bridge in the last six weeks

Villagers say they have "had enough" with a waterside crossroads they regard as an accident blackspot.

Boots Bridge in Manea, Cambridgeshire recorded at least nine crashes 2017-2012, according to Crash Maps, and a more recent one involved an ambulance.

Residents living off the junction said "poor signage" was to blame for vehicles ending up in the ditch.

Cambridgeshire County Council said "improvement works to the bridge could start next year".

Villagers says motorists crossing the bridge do not get enough warning that there is a crossroads immediately after it

Christine Baxter has lived at the "nightmare" junction, between Manea, Chatteris and March, since 2009, and said vehicles had ended up in the middle of her garden.

The Sixteen Foot Drain runs alongside the B1098, with the bridge taking the B1093 over the waterway

"It's getting worse every year," she said.

"Not so long ago, I heard someone scream 'help me' and saw a woman's car in the river below. She had to be helped out by cars passing by."

Resident Christine Baxter, whose garden lies below the level of Boots Bridge, said the problem was getting worse each year

The East of England Ambulance Service confirmed one of its vehicles fell into the ditch following a crash with a car in July while responding to an emergency.

"The driver of the car was transported to hospital with minor injuries, while the ambulance crew sustained cuts and bruises," a spokesman said.

Charlie Marks, who represents Manea for the Conservatives on Fenland District Council, called the junction a "blackspot" and said more safety measures were needed.

Paul Watson is another Manea resident who says he is "absolutely fed up" with the "poor" signage on the approach to the cross roads.

"We need better signage which should be put at least 200 yards from the give way [sign]. Currently it's maybe about 50 yards before and that is just too late for people to react," he said.

"The bridge was re-done six years ago. That's when things started to become bad."

Residents have renewed the call for better safety measures after "three crashes in six weeks" at Boots Bridge

Cambridgeshire County Council, who is responsible for roads, said it was "aware of the concerns", and improvements were made to the signage in 2020.

A spokesperson said: "Will be making road safety enhancements and we're currently working with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to source funding for this.

"We hope the work will be carried out in the spring."