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21
Oct
Harrogate driving instructor launches campaign to improve road visibility
A local driving instructor has launched a campaign to improve the visibility of road signs and markings in Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Nicky Crebbin, 50, has been a driving instructor for the last two years and said she has noticed increasing dangers surrounding road conditions in the area.
She launched an online petition this week which calls for regular maintenance and routines inspections.
She said that the main issues drivers in the area face are trees and bushes obstructing road signs, and poor road markings.
She added that she started the petition after becoming “increasingly frustrated” with the situation.
Overgrown vegetation can block road signs, including speed limits, junction warnings, and directional signs.
Ms Crebbin told the Stray Ferret that this can make drivers miss critical information, increasing their likelihood of accidents, fines, points and failed driving tests.
She said:
It has become exhausting. An important part of learning is knowing where you’re going and road positioning, and more and more I’m having to help my students and tell them which lane to be in.
It makes learners more anxious – you can’t follow road signs you can’t see. People have failed their driving tests because they can’t correctly position the car, and it is just unfair.
It is also dangerous for experienced drivers – they shouldn’t have to switch lanes or do risky manoeuvres because of it.
Ms Crebbin added that she has had to change her teaching methods to accommodate for these risks and that examiners at the Knaresborough test centre are having to help guide pupils where road markings are especially poor.
Loucia Richardson learning in Nicky Crebbin's car
Loucia Richardson, one of Ms Crebbin’s students, has taken just over a year to become a confident driver, and the poor road visibility has had a significant impact on this.
She said:
I had felt very anxious for a number of months in my abilities and skills, learning to trust myself has been the most impactful thing in my driving. But when coming across hidden road marks and signs I begin to doubt myself all over again.
As a learner you already believe most of the time that you are in the wrong, so by failing mock tests due to imperative signs being covered I am left angry and lacking confidence once again, not to mention how dangerous this can be, leading to speeding in areas and potential crashes.
Constantly looking for these signs and always second-guessing whether I have missed something, takes away from my focus on the more important things, hazards and car control. I hope this matter can be resolved to make all drivers' lives a bit easier on the road.
According to a survey by the RAC over half (53%) of motorists say obscured signs are a frequent occurrence on their journeys.
Ms Crebbin has reported these issues to the council on multiple occasions and says little has changed.
She said:
Road signs and markings get forgotten and they become dangerous for everybody. Drivers without local knowledge can get caught out by hidden speed signs and safety critical signs like give way.
I would encourage anyone that feels strongly about this to sign, the more traction the petition gets the more likely something will be done.
Cllr Keane Duncan and an overgrown sign
The Stray Ferret contacted North Yorkshire Council to ask how it will improve the issues raised by Ms Crebbin.
Cllr Keane Duncan, the council's Conservative executive member for highways and transport, said:
The safety of our road users is paramount and we take all concerns seriously.
Whenever a member of the public contacts us with road safety concerns, we actively investigate each report and take action where necessary.
We have investigated all the safety concerns logged with us in this case. As a result, we will be refreshing road markings and have also contacted the owner of third-party land after concerns were raised about overgrown vegetation.
We also carry out routine, proactive safety inspections across our road network. A package of marking works is scheduled to start at various locations in the Harrogate area, and there are also plans to cut back overgrown vegetation in several locations too.
The petition reached over 170 signatures in four days.
Ms Crebbin added:
It is an accident waiting to happen. It needs to be further up the priority list for the council even if money is tight - this is people’s lives that are being put in danger.
To support the petition click here.
Below are some of the overgrown road signs and faded markings submitted by Ms Crebbin:
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