A BLOCKLEY resident is continuing to push for changes to markings on a road before it "results in loss of life," after a six month delay.

Last July the Journal reported on Paul Dove's concerns over the A44 Fish Hill in Broadway, as he was a frequent user but fears a head on crash.

Mr Dove told the Journal: "I consider there to be a very serious error in road markings that I believe will result in loss of life.

"The white lines in the road allow vehicles travelling down the hill towards the Broadway roundabout to overtake in to the central lane, from part way down the hill to the bend before the roundabout where the road becomes single carriageway.

"From my use of the road I have observed a tendency for vehicles to use the middle lane at speeds in excess of the speed limit in both directions - towards the 'sharpening bend' going uphill and towards the bend before the roundabout going down hill.

"Additionally, vehicles caught behind slow moving vehicles going towards Oxford from the Broadway roundabout tend to pull out in to the middle lane at the bottom of the hill without realising that there is the potential for a vehicle to be coming down the hill in the same lane and in some situations you would have to deliberately look upwards to see the vehicle coming downhill.

"Frankly I'm both amazed that there has not yet been a fatal accident here and that the professionals who are responsible for road safety have allowed this situation to arise."

Mr Dove took his fears about the road to John Hobbs, Worcestershire County Council's director of economy and infrastructure who replied last July: "Following your request to investigate installing a system of double white lines on the A44 Fish Hill, site and speed surveys have been completed.

"When entering the downhill section, travelling north towards Broadway, which allows overtaking into the middle uphill lane, visibility distances are such that overtaking is permitted based on Department For Transport criteria, so we would not recommend the installation of a double white line system.

"When approaching the bend - prior to the roundabout - it is recommended to install a length of double continuous line based on the recorded 85th percentile speed of the road. In this instance the length would be 275m.

"This is to avoid a potential conflict between uphill and downhill overtaking traffic. Any downhill (towards Broadway) overtaking vehicle will be returned to the near side lane before coming into conflict with an uphill vehicle beginning an overtaking manoeuvre at the start of the climbing lane.

"We have placed an order for these works which should be undertaken within eight weeks."

But after the work wasn't completed Mr Dove has continued to push for the alterations.

Mr Dove wrote to Mr Hobbs: "I refer to your email last year in which you acknowledged that a section of the A44 near Broadway was non-compliant and undertook to amend the road markings within eight weeks.

"It is now February, some six months later, and the works have still not been undertaken. I only use the road relatively infrequently but I continue to see 'near misses' in the subject area - the most recent likely caused by a low sun restricting a south bound driver's view of a descending vehicle in the middle lane.

"I continue to be of the view that the authority should restrict all overtaking for north bound traffic descending Fish Hill but you have indicated that you will not as your colleagues have advised. At least you could expedite the works to make the roadway compliant where you have identified it is not and go someway to improving safety."

And following this Mr Hobbs wrote back on Friday saying: "I have made regular enquiries of my road safety team which exposed their frustration at getting our contractor to secure a window to undertake these lining amendments.

"I will now take this up with the Regional Director of our contractor because it is unacceptable."