Green fingered solution to road safety

Work is due to start next week on an innovative ‘Green Screen’ to help reduce traffic accidents at a busy road junction in the National Forest.

The £35,000 barrier, which is made of living willow, provides an environmentally friendly alternative, at a similar cost, to a rigid-panelled fence which would normally be used.

Leicestershire County Council is installing the barrier at the roundabout on the A50 and A511 at Junction 22 of the M1 in Markfield. Although this is a particularly busy road junction the grass verges are home to a variety of wildlife and greenery and the willow barrier is designed to blend in with this landscape.

This roundabout has experienced 23 shunt type accidents (cars going into the back of one another) in the last 5 years, caused by vehicles approaching the roundabout too quickly.

Accident investigators think this is partly due to the open view of the roundabout. Drivers are tempted to divert attention from the vehicle in front to traffic circulating the roundabout, in turn leading to them to approach the junction too fast.

The 3 metre high willow barrier on the central reservation is designed to restrict the view for drivers approaching the roundabout, encouraging them to slow down to a speed at which they can safely negotiate the junction.

This environmentally friendly barrier is due to be planted in April and will produce new growth within a month.

Nicholas Rushton, Deputy Leader of the County Council with responsibility for Highways and Transportation said: “We are delighted to have found a potential solution to the accidents that are happening at the roundabout, and one that fits in with the character of the area as well. Although we have successfully used visibility barriers before, forming them from living willow is a first for Leicestershire and demonstrates our efforts to lessen the impact of roads on the environment.”

For more information about the living willow barrier, visit www.leics.gov.uk/livingwillow. Photos will be added to the website as the barrier takes shape.