THE 'worst junction in Worcester' which leaves drivers 'totally blind' because of a railway bridge blocking their view is due to be improved with 'hatchings'.
The junction of Blackpole Road and Brickfields Road in Worcester has been dubbed one of the worst in the city by Cllr Lynn Denham after listening to the views of voters at the doorstep.
The joint leader of Worcester City Council's scathing remarks also follow a vote by Worcester News readers last October which exposed it as the city's most dangerous junction and perhaps also its most hated.
Drivers complain of poor visibility as they pull put of Blackpole Road onto Brickfields Road, their view obscured by the railway bridge with edging out compared to 'a leap of faith'.
Cllr Denham herself, also a Rainbow Hill county councillor for Labour, branded the junction 'horrible'.
However, plans are afoot to make the junction easier to navigate by introducing hatchings at the centre of Blackpole Road, a T-junction leading onto Brickfields Road.
But the move would mean one lane (down from two) for drivers turning both left and right out of Blackpole Road to accommodate the hatchings.
A timeframe for the work has not yet been announced by Worcestershire County Council, the Highways Authority, but it is on its to do list.
The aim is that the hatchings will help to protect vehicles waiting at the stop line by pushing them further away from those making the left turn and to encourage drivers turning right to take up a position which allows them a slightly better view of traffic approaching from the right.
Cllr Lynn Denham said she has raised the issue since she was elected as a county councillor in May 2021 with her initial conversations with Highways hinging on how 'unpleasant' it was for pedestrians walking under the railway bridge.
Cllr Denham said: "The majority of traffic comes down Blackpole Road and turns under the bridge. You're pulling out blind. The hatchings would not require a legal order. They can just paint them on the road.
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"I agree it is one of the most horrible junctions in Worcester if you're coming down Blackpole Road.
"At the moment it totally deserves its reputation as the worst junction in Worcester."
According to preliminary plans from Worcestershire County Council, the main disadvantage of the scheme is a reduction in width on the exit side of the junction, meaning that only one vehicle will be able to exit at a time, whereas at the moment left and right turners can exit simultaneously.
A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council said: "We can confirm this scheme has been added to the upcoming programme of works."
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