Flintshire road crossing 'dangerous', say campaigners

Motorists think they are in a 50mph zone when it is still a 30mph stretch of road due to the signage

Parents are calling for safety changes at a "dangerous" junction used by children on the school run.

Campaigners said confusing speed limit signs cause motorists to drive too fast along the slip road joining the A494 eastbound at Ewloe, Flintshire.

Emma Jones said she has to walk her secondary-school age daughter to school each morning to make sure she is safe.

A Welsh government spokesman said improvements will be carried out this financial year.

Ms Jones started campaigning for safety improvements eight years ago.

She said: "It's so dangerous and busy between the hours of eight and nine in the morning so feel I have to take her to school with a friend because of how busy it is."

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Ms Jones said she has contacted a number of politicians, the council and the Wales Trunk Road Agency about the matter.

In recent weeks, she said her fears increased after a vehicle entering the slip-road crashed into safety barriers where pedestrians stand as they wait to cross the slip-road.

"When that barrier was taken out three weeks ago, I just thought I've got to do something so that's when I came to BBC Wales."

Pauline Hickman (left) and her sister Trish Eliott said the crossing is very dangerous as cars do not slow down

Ms Jones said vehicles should be travelling at 30mph as they enter the slip road, but signs close to where pedestrians cross the road indicate that the speed limit on the A494 ahead is 50mph, so many drivers accelerate before they enter the slip-road.

She added that hundreds of children living in Ewloe need to cross this section of road on their way to and from school.

"There have been near-misses," said Ms Jones, who worries that children are often distracted as they cross the road.

'We wouldn't cross it, no way'

Fears about the safety of the road are shared by twin sisters Trish Eliott and Pauline Hickman, who have lived in the area for 50 years.

"I wouldn't cross it - we wouldn't cross it - no way," said Ms Eliott.

"How a child hasn't been killed I don't know.

Emma Jones walk her secondary-school age daughter to school each morning to make sure she is safe

Ms Hickman said: "It's horrendous, it's a blind corner and they shoot up here."

Like Emma Jones, they fear there will be an accident before anything is done to improve the situation.

Ms Jones said a nearby junction along the A494, at Queensferry has raised walkways and traffic lights.

She said similar measures would allow pedestrians to cross the road safely at the Ewloe junction.

The road is the responsibility of the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent on behalf of the Welsh government.

In a statement, a Welsh government spokesperson said: "We are developing a scheme to address pedestrian and cycling activity at this location this financial year."