Safety measures stepped up on road

SAFETY measures have been stepped up on a muddy village road after two motorcyclists came off their bikes.

They suffered minor injuries in two separate incidents at the entrance to Chesfield Downs Golf Club in Graveley, shortly after 7am last Thursday.

Lorries are currently delivering rubble to sculpt the driving range at the club and Herts Police say the muddy road could have been the cause of the accidents.

Following the accidents, diversions were set up and the road was closed for nearly 24 hours while Herts Highways' emergency teams worked through the day and night to clean the road.

A Herts Highways spokesman said: "Highway safety is our priority and we would not let mud stay on the road so we spent several hours cleaning it. It was clay mud so it was really gluey and took longer to get off.

"However, if the site is being redeveloped it's the developer's responsibility that nothing causes a hazard on the highway."

Robin Greenwood, manager of Chesfield Downs, said: "The club and the contractors, Woodland Environmental, have been working closely with the Highways Agency and Graveley Parish Council to reduce the volume of mud on the road and the number of daily lorry movements.

"Prior to the incident, Woodland Environmental used both a wheel spinner to clean vehicle wheels before leaving the club site and a road sweeper which operated eight hours a day.

"The wheel cleaner is still in place and the contractors have upgraded the road sweeper to a more superior model which is now operating for 10 hours a day.

"We have also reduced the number of lorry loads being delivered to the club to sculpt the driving range and they are now not permitted to enter until after 7.30am.

"Lorries have also been requested to re-route their journey so they go along the A1(M) instead of coming through Graveley."

More signs have been put up to warn drivers about the condition of the road and grit has also been put down.