Jade Clark's death came just hours after speed limit decision on A31

2:31pm Tuesday 26th February 2013 in News

Jade Clark Jade Clark

“A VERY, very sad day”.

That is how road safety campaigners have described the death of Jade Clark.

Now they have pledged to continue in their efforts to reduce the speed limit on the A31.

Ringwood Town Council member and campaigner Michael Thierry, pictured, wants Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to visit the town to see its “desperate” road situation for himself.

The Daily Echo reported on Saturday, a day before the fatal accident, that the town council has been pressing the Highways Agency to introduce new safety measures, including the reduction of the speed limit of the A31 between Picket Post and the Ashley Heath roundabout to 50mph.

But the agency has said not enough motorists have been injured to justify a speed reduction.

The council will discuss the agency’s response at its meeting tomorrow, and may now go straight to the Department for Transport in a bid to get Mr McLoughlin to visit the town.

Cllr Thierry said: “This is a very, very sad day for the town, and it’s a tragic day for Jade’s family.

“I feel distraught for them. At 8pm that young girl expected to get to where she was going safely, and now her family has been devastated and their lives will never be the same.

“They will never be able to go past that spot without being reminded of what has happened there.

“The Highways Agency needs to stop this box-ticking exercise and see that if local people are saying something needs to be done, then they should listen.

“The town is breaking its heart over this, something needs to be done. It is something they can do quickly, it won’t cost a lot of money to reduce the limit to 50mph and the town council has even offered to pay for the signs.

“We have to continue to campaign for better safety measures. We can’t let it fizzle out.”

Andy Brown, from the Avon Angling Centre in West Street, added: “The A31 is a dangerous road and it needs improving."

Comments(8)

dolomiteman says...
2:52pm Tue 26 Feb 13

I am in favour of a reduced speed limit on the A31, this is the second death this month in that short stretch but it is wrong for the Echo to use this sad death try to score points when the investigation has not yet stated that excessive speed was the cause.

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southy says...
3:15pm Tue 26 Feb 13

dolomiteman wrote:
I am in favour of a reduced speed limit on the A31, this is the second death this month in that short stretch but it is wrong for the Echo to use this sad death try to score points when the investigation has not yet stated that excessive speed was the cause.
As you enter Ringwood town boundarys the A31 do have a 50 mph restriction, and it is well signed

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billing775 says...
3:36pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Because they havent said already could we have more support on our page on facebook please. In memory of jade clark, gone but not forgotten. Many thanks
Megan

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Tony S says...
4:25pm Tue 26 Feb 13

anyone who uses this route regularly knows this spot. The road design is significntly compromised. There are lots of improvements the planners cant or won't impliment like the garage forcort design, The three very close junctions. making the carriageway 3 full lanes after the flyover. However the idiots only have one idea. change the speed limit. There is no evidence at this time that it was a sp[eed related accident. I suspect it was a case of the small moped not being seen. lso the pressure to pull out before the slip road ends.

There are not many "dangerous roads"... however that 500m of the network fall far below the rest of the network for safety

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sotonbusdriver says...
7:31pm Tue 26 Feb 13

I think it si TOO early to speculate what needs to be done, as firstly you have a young probably fairly inexperienced rider on a small lower powered scooter, possibly at a maximum of 30mph, on a fast road of 60mph vehicles...
Secondly unless I have missed something, I haven't seen a police comment that another vehicle was involved.
Deepest sympathy goes to the parents and family, in what must be a very difficult time.
But the throw blame for the accidents causes before the Police have completed the investigation, seems silly.
Being and motorcyclist, car driver and bus driver, I am aware of other vehicles on the road.. I have always said that limiting power on small motorcycles was a fate waiting to happen. I learnt on a moped capable of 70+mph, never having a problem in all my years riding, but did have reason to ride a friends moped, that was limited in power and found it an accident waiting to happen...

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dolomiteman says...
12:40pm Wed 27 Feb 13

southy wrote:
dolomiteman wrote:
I am in favour of a reduced speed limit on the A31, this is the second death this month in that short stretch but it is wrong for the Echo to use this sad death try to score points when the investigation has not yet stated that excessive speed was the cause.
As you enter Ringwood town boundarys the A31 do have a 50 mph restriction, and it is well signed
No it doesn't, the A31 is national speed limit (70) from the M27 all the way through to past the ashley heath turning when approching the roundbaouts it changes to 50.

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mickey01 says...
3:07pm Wed 27 Feb 13

dolomiteman wrote:
southy wrote:
dolomiteman wrote:
I am in favour of a reduced speed limit on the A31, this is the second death this month in that short stretch but it is wrong for the Echo to use this sad death try to score points when the investigation has not yet stated that excessive speed was the cause.
As you enter Ringwood town boundarys the A31 do have a 50 mph restriction, and it is well signed
No it doesn't, the A31 is national speed limit (70) from the M27 all the way through to past the ashley heath turning when approching the roundbaouts it changes to 50.
yes it does change but the speed of some of the idiots doesnt change after ashley heath so what are the chances of drivers sticking to 50 after the m27

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dolomiteman says...
1:34am Thu 28 Feb 13

If the A31 past Ringwood is a 50 limit then why the campaign to get the speed limit reduced to 50 as clearly stated in the above article?
(quote)the town council has been pressing the Highways Agency to introduce new safety measures, including the reduction of the speed limit of the A31 between Picket Post and the Ashley Heath roundabout to 50mph.(quote)

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