Road given ‘red route’ danger status to cut speeding

May 6 2008 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

ONE of Wirral’s most dangerous roads has been given “Red Route” status by Cheshire Police.

The A540 Chester High Road is one of the latest in the county to be given new status, meaning it has a history of collisions resulting in serious injuries and death. In the past three years, more than 80 people have been injured in collisions on the road and now officers will be targeting those who continue to break the speed limit.

Sergeant Peter Hough said: “Officers from this area are currently patrolling the A540 in marked and unmarked vehicles.

“To date, it is clear motorists are not paying attention to the speed limit.

“As a result we have arrested one driver for drink driving and prosecuted 26 others for exceeding the speed limit. It would appear this is just the tip of the iceberg, as colleagues from Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership detected more than 130 motorists exceeding the speed limit in a single day this month.”

He added: “Speeding is a form of anti-social behaviour which, at best, causes irritation to local communities and at worst can result in injury and death.

“Drivers must play their part in reducing collisions by staying in the speed limit.”