Saddled with road dangers

HORSE riders in Shipham are a step closer to winning their fight to make a notoriously dangerous road safer.Bosses at Shipham Riding in Broadway wrote to Somerset County Council asking for traffic calming measures at both ends of the road through Shipham village on the A38, because they say their horses and riders are in danger when crossing the road. They are asking for the speed limit to be reduced to at least 30mph.A council officer has now promised to put the idea before councillors.Riders regularly use the blackspot to pass through Shipham village or North Down Lane to access the local bridleways, but they say it is becoming more and more difficult with cars travelling at 60mph and speeding around blind bends.Shipham Riding's owner, Jane Fevers, said: "I have been here 16 years and the problem with speeding cars is getting worse. Cars can legally travel at 60mph but with blind bends and slippery road surfaces, our riders and horses are in danger."The council has resurfaced the road to help tackle the problems but Shipham Riding is determined to have more changes - it has even suggested making the road a 20mph zone.Chairman of the area's Neighbourhood Watch scheme, Bob Shaw, said: "There is a fatal accident waiting to happen."If you come out of the A38 and look right, you can only see 50 yards down the road and cars come screeching round the blind bends. Accidents happen all the time. It often makes you think what's happened to the word 'safety'."Somerset County Council's area traffic engineer, Chris Betty, said: "We will be arranging to advertise a proposal to make Shipham's residential roads 30mph. This is likely to include North Down Lane and the first 125 metres of Broadway."I will also be putting the proposals before the parish council to discuss it further.