Calls for action over 'unacceptable' crashes in Thornbury

A four-car collision forced the closure of Morton Way, at the junctions of Hackett Lane and Crossways Road on Sunday morning, with police, ambulance and fire crews all seeing to those involved and clearing debris.

A police spokesman told the Gazette that one of the cars had pulled out of Hackett Lane into the path of a car travelling down Morton Way, the collision forced the car and one following into the path of another car on the other side of the road. While no-one sustained major injury, one person was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Further traffic chaos was caused last Tuesday when two cars and a bus collided on the same spot at around 8.34am, with two children requiring hospital treatment.

Cllr David Chubb, who represents Thornbury North on South Gloucestershire Council, said: “Two big crashes in a week is unacceptable, and these are not one-offs, they are the latest in a litany of accidents.

“Inevitably, drivers going too fast along Morton Way is always a factor.

“Locals have been warning that something terrible will happen one day, and twice in the last week we have avoided tragedy by sheer luck.

“I will be working closely with the town’s speed watch group and colleagues on the council, as well as reaching out to Avon and Somerset Police.

“This problem can only be tackled by the whole community working as a team.”

Also urging for action was Thornbury and Yate MP Luke Hall, who said: “This is exactly the kind of issue that has local residents rightly worried, none of us want to see another catastrophe like this on our roads, and I will be working closely with Cllr Chubb to do what we can to reduce the speeds going along Morton Way.”

Calling for more volunteers, Thornbury community speed watch co-ordinator Terry Osborne said that the “active and committed” group were short-handed and were desperate for more help in effectively tackling the “nuisance”.

To find out more about Thornbury speed watch, contact Thornbury police.