Thirty-two injured on Pontypool death-crash roundabout in four years (From South Wales Argus)
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Thirty-two injured on Pontypool death-crash roundabout in four years
11:43am Wednesday 18th July 2012 in Gwent news
By Natalie Crockett
TRAGEDY: Rachel Hoare, whose son Luke Grace was killed in an accident at the roundabout in May
THIRTY-TWO people were injured in little over four years in collisions on a Gwent roundabout where a motorcyclist died.
The information was requested by the family of 20- year-old father-to-be Luke Grace, who died after his Yamaha DT125 motorbike was involved in a collision with a Ford Fiesta on the McDonald’s roundabout in Pontypool on May 19.
His mother, Rachel Hoare, 43, is campaigning for a better road layout, markings and improved signage to help prevent further deaths.
A Freedom of Information request submitted to Gwent Police by the family found there were 26 accidents on the roundabout, which connects the A4042 with the A472, between January 2008 and April 2012.
Of these incidents, four involved motorbikes, one involved a pedal cyclist and one involved a pedestrian.
No other people were killed but 32 people were injured, including 21 drivers, five passengers, four motorcyclists, a cyclist and a pedestrian.
Gwent Police do not keep records of non-injury collisions.
Mr Grace’s family say the busy roundabout is not clearly marked and is confusing for drivers.
It is believed he overtook a car travelling in the same left-hand lane as him from Pontypool towards Abergavenny, when the two collided. He was thrown from his bike and was pronounced dead at Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital.
His mother has called for traffic-lights to be introduced at peak times, as well as lane markings to stop people cutting across other drivers’ paths.
Gwent Police said it could find no record of any complaints received about road safety or traffic management issues at the roundabout.
But as previously reported the Welsh Government is looking to make improvements at the site, including lane markings, changes to direction signs and vegetation clearance.
Comments(22)
mal92
says...
12:10pm Wed 18 Jul 12
Newport Dave
says...
12:20pm Wed 18 Jul 12
Excellent posts.
Howie'
says...
12:40pm Wed 18 Jul 12
mal92 wrote:The point you make about no indication is a good one, I am fed up with these idiots that go around roundabouts or change lanes without indicating & I understand that it is the cause of many collisions on roundabouts deaths on motorways.
One of the main issues here is the regular "queue-jumpers" coming from the Cwmbran direction who use the straight ahead lane to queue-jump the lane turning left into Pontypool. The signs state the right-hand lane is for Abergavenny and the left-hand is for Pontypool.They constantly cut-across the traffic, with no indication. I have seen so many near misses and bumps there and the Police take no notice!
sightseeker
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1:59pm Wed 18 Jul 12
mal92
says...
2:50pm Wed 18 Jul 12
ronnieontheroad1
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3:09pm Wed 18 Jul 12
diandai
says...
3:24pm Wed 18 Jul 12
mal92
says...
5:05pm Wed 18 Jul 12
iandfox
says...
8:54pm Wed 18 Jul 12
As for road signs and markings this would be a waste of time and money as it will make difference.
I have used this roundabout for many years and as with any road junction you need to treat every other driver as an idiot,this keeps your wits about you and less likely to have an accident.
monkeyboy44
says...
10:11am Thu 19 Jul 12
It's not roadmarkings or signs, it's the highway code, the only way to enforce this is re-tests every say 3 years, but that is not going to happen.
monkeyboy44
says...
10:13am Thu 19 Jul 12
Dolieboy
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6:17am Fri 20 Jul 12
Dolieboy
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6:19am Fri 20 Jul 12
monkeyboy44 wrote:Why not ? It's a dual carriageway both sides. As long as you don't cut across lanes and indicate, there is no problem.
The major point on this roundabout is people who stay in the near side lane from pontypool think they can go straight on to cwmbran.
It's not roadmarkings or signs, it's the highway code, the only way to enforce this is re-tests every say 3 years, but that is not going to happen.
westmon
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7:49am Fri 20 Jul 12
Anne teak
says...
12:21pm Fri 20 Jul 12
It is no use reporting any police officer, particularly in Gwent, as nothing will be done.
See the recent court case,concerning the death of the newspaper seller, if you don't believe me.
Strider
says...
4:20pm Fri 20 Jul 12
1) I will not indicate!!!!
2) I will not be overtaken!!!
3) My next action will be a complete mystery even to myself
4) I will let myself be distracted by everything apart from whats going on the road..
Also how they speed up to stop other people getting 1 car in front of them on the roundabout, and then slow to a crawl...
Also the one cretin who was smoking and talking on the phone and crashed on that Roundabout, I'd be interested in the cirmcumstance's involving the injured drivers?
alongfortheride
says...
2:48pm Sat 21 Jul 12
mal92 wrote:it's not queue jumpers, you can go in the second lane and exit into the second lane, it's the morons in lane 1 going around an entire roundabout in the outside lane without indicating. Mal the Police are not there 24/7 they can't sit on every roundabout, the problem is the level of driving skill being non existant in most 'older' drivers who think they know how to use lane discipline because 'i've been driving for 20 years' I've seen more middle aged and older drivers pull stupid stunts there only to go nuts when they hear a horn blown at them because they are too 'elitist' to see that they cause alot of the problems.
One of the main issues here is the regular "queue-jumpers" coming from the Cwmbran direction who use the straight ahead lane to queue-jump the lane turning left into Pontypool. The signs state the right-hand lane is for Abergavenny and the left-hand is for Pontypool.They constantly cut-across the traffic, with no indication. I have seen so many near misses and bumps there and the Police take no notice!
You cannot go all the way around a roundabout in the left hand lane!
If you use lane 2 to turn left onto a dual carriageway then exit into lane 2. That is safe as the driver in lane 1 can only exit into lane 1 anyway
Use your indicators!!
alongfortheride
says...
2:53pm Sat 21 Jul 12
Anne teak wrote:I for one would be happy for my local officer to be placed on a roundabout to watch for idiot drivers committing minor offences, it's not realistic and doesn't work like that
Of couRse this roundabout should be sorted out.what do we pay road tax for?
It is no use reporting any police officer, particularly in Gwent, as nothing will be done.
See the recent court case,concerning the death of the newspaper seller, if you don't believe me.
alongfortheride
says...
2:55pm Sat 21 Jul 12
mal92 wrote:I always thought the highway code stated you do not have to indicate when coming off a roundabout if you are in a dedicated lane, or in a lane where your exit is obvious. If people are in the right lanes then there is not always a need to indicate unless to tell those waiting to enter the roundabout that you are about to exit.
I too have experienced the Police not bothering to indicate, especially on roundabouts. They are supposed to be an example to us all on how to behave. Would be great if we could get them to read these comments then maybe something might get done about this particular roundabout and their (police) declining driving standards
alongfortheride
says...
3:07pm Sat 21 Jul 12
alongfortheride wrote:And Anne what has that got to do with Gwent Police? Your comment is as bigot and pointless as you are. It's a good job I don't judge the intelligence of the 6 billion people in the world on your comments the same way you have just judged every police officer and police force on an incident that occurred in London during riots and where you or I no doubt do not know all the facts. Keep your factitious nonsense to yourself and only contribute if you have something worth contributing.
Anne teak wrote:I for one would be happy for my local officer to be placed on a roundabout to watch for idiot drivers committing minor offences, it's not realistic and doesn't work like that
Of couRse this roundabout should be sorted out.what do we pay road tax for?
It is no use reporting any police officer, particularly in Gwent, as nothing will be done.
See the recent court case,concerning the death of the newspaper seller, if you don't believe me.
*Better lane markings is what the roundabout could do with to guide those who have forgotten lane discipline. In fairness they do this on most roundabouts now anyway.*
KARENBUCK
says...
10:22am Mon 23 Jul 12
nehpets snave says...
12:05pm Wed 18 Jul 12