A resident has called for urgent action at a dangerous road junction in Cambridgeshire following a series of serious and fatal collisions.
Roy Fabb lives near the B1040 at Bluntisham, close to the Wheatsheaf crossroads, where multiple crashes have occurred in recent years. One of the most serious incidents took place in 2019, when three passengers travelling in a minibus were killed and eight others were injured.
Mr Fabb, who is from Somersham, said his family uses the junction every day and that it “worries him sick”. He said his concerns are heightened when traffic is heavy, particularly “busy in the evenings in the dark”.
The B1040 runs between St Ives and Somersham and is crossed by the road linking Bluntisham and Woodhurst. Mr Fabb said there had been several other collisions at the junction beyond the 2019 crash.
That incident resulted in Ksaizek being jailed for five years after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving. He failed to give way at the crossroads and struck another vehicle.
Mr Fabb said he found the road signage unclear when approaching the junction. He also raised concerns about electronic warning signs that have recently been installed, saying they did not always function as intended.
“The traffic from St Ives towards Somersham is continuous, and drivers crossing the carriageway sometimes take risks, which lead to accidents,” he said.
“If you are doing 50mph [80km/h] with less than 100ft [30m] to the Give Way sign, you are going too fast.”
He added that road markings on the approach to the junction were badly faded, further contributing to the risks.
Mr Fabb and his daughter Rachel have started a petition calling for improvements at the Wheatsheaf crossroads. He said it has attracted about 10,000 signatures.
Ms Fabb said she had experienced a near miss at the junction while travelling with friends. She said a “car dashed across… without stopping” directly in front of them.
Cambridgeshire County Council, which is responsible for the road, said it was aware of ongoing concerns. A spokesperson said extra signage had been installed and confirmed there are plans to buy land next to the junction, although there have been “delays in the process”.
“We are working towards delivering a completely new junction that includes a signalised crossing, as a longer-term solution,” the spokesperson said.
“We are making progress and the planned junction improvements will be delivered as soon as possible.
“No further intermediary works are currently planned, prior to the construction of the new junction.”
