Two-vehicle crash at Hempton crossroads, near Fakenham, sparks debate about Norfolk County Council’s plans for £1.65m roundabout

A crash at a village crossroads has sparked debate within a community about what should be done to improve safety.

A new roundabout, traffic lights, speed bumps and a lower speed limit are among the measures that residents from Hempton and Fakenham have said could reduce accidents at the junction.

The conversation comes after a two-vehicle crash saw three rushed to hospital with injuries on May 11.

The crossroads, which some describe as an accident “blackspot”, connects traffic from Fakenham, Swaffham and Dereham and is used daily by those living in villages outside of the town such as Pudding Norton, Great Ryburgh and Colkirk.

Norfolk County Council is planning for a large £1.65m roundabout to be built on the site in early 2025, subject to approval. However, there are mixed opinions about the idea.

“A roundabout would be a definite solution,” said Michael Boyle, a driving instructor who lives in the town.

“The only accidents that you would get on there would be small rear-end bumps, you very rarely get a bad accident.”

Michael admitted that he avoids the crossroads and would rather take a different route than risk going there due to how common crashes are.

However, others say they have no choice and cannot avoid the site.

Natasha Edgeley, who has lived in Hempton since she was four, said accidents have been happening there since she was a child.

“I do think something needs to be done but what’s being proposed is not necessary, it is going to cause a lot of disruption,” she said about the council’s plans.

“I live looking out onto that crossroads, it’s going to take up half of the village green, close off the road to my house and take a long time to build - the noise and the view will be awful.”

Some have suggested that the reason there are so many accidents in that area is because of poor visibility.

Natasha said that, very often, the land surrounding the road is not cut back, with the tall grass obstructing motorists’ view.

She also said that the sun sits low there during the evenings, affecting drivers’ ability to see properly.

Although Vida Daymond, who lives in Pudding Norton, agrees that the sun and poor land maintenance are factors in increasing accidents, she thinks driver error is the main cause of the crashes.

“I know the crossroads has its fair share of accidents, but I think it’s down to driver incompetence rather than the road itself - I don’t get the problem,” she said.

“It’s not a blackspot, people just don’t take their time, they have a quick look and off they go.”

One of the issues that Vida has with the site is that the sign says “give way”, but she believes it should be a “stop” sign.

“There are crossroads all over the country and they all manage,” she added.

“A roundabout will take up so much land and it would have to be a big one because of all of the HGVs.

“It seems a bit like using a mallet to crack a nut.”

Design work for the new roundabout is under way and Norfolk County Council is currently finalising some legal processes to make the construction possible.

Tom Fitzpatrick, county councillor for Fakenham, whose ward includes Hempton, said: "Every time there's an accident there, I'm contacted by people saying ‘Where is our roundabout?’, it's a miracle nobody has been killed there - there have been several serious accidents.

“A few people think that a roundabout is unnecessary and I respect their opinions, but this roundabout is what the road safety experts at Highways have recommended as the best solution for safety at the junction.

“I am keen to get the development under way as soon as possible.

“We’ve had too many crashes on our roads, not just here at Hempton, but on other roads nearby, so I am keen to do anything that will improve highway safety.

“My hope now is that we can get on with building it as soon as possible but ensuring that there is minimum possible disruption on the roads for local residents and the surrounding businesses.”