WILTSHIRE Council has been accused of waiting for someone to die before it takes action over the notorious Black Dog crossroads on the A360 near Devizes.

Michael Maxwell, who lives in nearby Little Cheverell, wrote to the council’s cabinet member for highways Bridget Wayman to point out the number of accidents that have happened at the junction and a lack of action.

He wrote: “I wonder if Wiltshire Council is waiting for a motorist to be killed at the location before it is prepared to act.

“Austerity can go too far when it blinds the highways department to a situation that for say £5000 to £10000 could be solved, despite being highly dangerous and something that has existed for over 20 years to my knowledge.”

Mr Maxwell included Government statistics for accidents reported to police where there had been one or more casualties. Latest figures available for between 2011 and 2017 show there were 12 accidents and 14 people injured.

But he points out that there have been many other non-injury accidents and a string of crashes in 2018 and 2019 including one earlier this year. He said: “In August I saw and talked to the driver of a written off vehicle.

He said someone from Northampton turned out of the Worton Road and he could either hit the driver’s door or swerve towards the Black Dog Farm field writing off his car and the milepost.”

Jane and Ian Clare, who live at Black Dog Farm, often have to go out in hi-viz jackets to direct traffic after accidents near their home.

Mr Maxwell thinks a painted roundabout could be the easiest solution to the problem as it would help to slow traffic.

Richard Gamble the Wiltshire Council representative for the area said this week that he was taking the matter up with the Community Area Transport Group at a meeting next month.

He said: “All three local parish councils are concerned about this so we have to try and find a way to make improvements.”

In a response to Mr Maxwell Cllr Wayman said: “There is no straightforward answer rather it is a decision following a review of individual circumstances followed by prioritisation on a countywide basis.

“You can be assured that Wiltshire Council places a very high priority on road safety. Injury collisions are regularly monitored throughout Wiltshire and this clearly shows there has been a significant downward trend in road casualties.”

She said with regard to Black Dog Crossroads this was only ranked 94th out of a list of 118 priority spots in the county. She said that current funding levels allow the authority to treat between 10 to 15 sites a year.

She added: “Your suggestion regarding the installation of a mini-roundabout is noted but would not be appropriate at this location. Mini-roundabouts are not a suitable option at locations where vehicles approach the junction at high speed.”