Cheddar area road casualties

Road safety issues

Sadly, in recent years, our local area has had a terrible record for road safety. The map below shows road collision sites from 2005-2012. Our roads are narrow and winding (particularly the Gorge, of course) and our local road infrastructure has barely been improved since Victorian times. We have long since lost our railway station so many heavy lorries and coaches now travel through the village on their way to the quarries and tourist sites in the area. Boy racers and motorcycle ride-outs just add to the regular traffic problems. And in spite of local campaigns and council planning comments, a new supermarket and reservoir are scheduled to be built here over the coming years which will inevitably make things worse.

The purpose of this page is to remind our local authorities of the need to improve our roads, and for the police, the need to ensure the rules of the road are properly enforced. And for visitors to the area, to please drive safely and with respect for the local community.

Links below are to news articles on local fatal and serious road incidents. This is truly grim reading. It would be really nice not to be adding any more.

Three car collision on A38 at Cross - Oct 2014

Motorists cut from cars in Cheddar village centre - Aug 2014

Motorcyclist killed on A371 near Cheddar - July 2014

Car fire in Cheddar Gorge kills one - June 2014

Two killed on A39, Farrington Gurney - June 2014

Car on its side, A371, Rodney Stoke - April 2014

Woman airlifted to hospital after A371 crash, Cheddar - January 2014

Two overturned cars on A371, Cheddar - December 2013

Crash outside Rodney Stoke Inn on A371 - November 2013

Two killed on A371 between Cheddar and Axbridge - October 2013

Serious pedestrian injury, A371 Cheddar - October 2013

Young motorcyclist killed near Wedmore - April 2013