Hundreds sign road safety petition after death of cyclist in N Wales

Nearly 700 people have signed a petition calling for safety improvements to be made to a road junction in North Wales where a cyclist was killed there in a collision with a lorry last Friday.

The petition, posted on the website Change.org, urges Denbighshire County Council to “Significantly improve road safety at Lower Denbigh Road/B5428 crossroads, near Trefnant,” where Jane Greaves, aged 47 and from Llanynys, was killed in the incident on Friday morning.

Posted by Jonathan Walker, the petition says:

Following another fatal accident at this notorious accident blackspot, changes are urgently required to significantly improve safety. Particular attention is required to significantly slow traffic on the Lower Denbigh Road and ensure that traffic entering the junction from the B5428 is brought to a STOP. An alternative may include the provision of a raised roundabout.

One of the signatories to the petition is Bill Twigg of Rhyl Cycling Club. He wrote: “This junction has poor inter-visibility between the two roads and it is easy for drivers to misjudge from the Trefnant - Henllan road.

“It is ridiculous that country lanes like those at these crossroads nationally bear an excessive 60 mph limit.

“The junction needs speed reduction and clear ‘halt’ signs.

“I hope we don't see the same total lack of subsequent redesign action (such as a 40 limit) that we saw when four of our members were killed on the A547 in a collision where excess speed for the conditions was a factor,” he added.

Denbighshire County Councillor told the Daily Post: “People say it’s a dangerous road; you can put as many signs up as you want, but not everyone sees them.

“The death of Jane Greaves really highlights the problem, hopefully Highways will do something about it.”

He also paid tribute to the victim, who was a regular at the pub he runs, the Golden Lion in Llandyrnog, saying: “Jane used to come to the Golden Lion regularly, either on the way home on the bikes, or out on the horses, I always got on very well with her.

“She was an ecologist, she went out and looked out at the newts and bats if someone was planning a development. She was really enthusiastic about the cycling, and the horses, and her dogs, that was their life really.

“She would cycle 60, 70 miles a day and think nothing of it,” he added. “She was an absolutely lovely person, always had a good conversation with her about whatever.”

In a statement, her family said: “It is with great sadness that as a family we are having to make this announcement.

“Jane Greaves a loving wife, daughter, sister and Aunt was involved in a fatal accident while riding her bike near home on Friday, she was cruelly taken from her adoring family later that day.

“She was full of life and love for her husband Nigel, her family and all her animals. Words cannot express our loss.”

Police are continuing to appeal for information about the collision, which took place at around 10.45am on Friday morning.

Chief Inspector Darren Wareing of North Wales Police said: “I am now appealing again for any witnesses who may have been travelling on the B5428 or the Denbigh Road around 10.45am on Friday, or who may have information which may assist our investigation, to contact me at the Roads Policing Unit on 101, quoting incident number R179379.”

Mrs Greaves was riding a black, white and red Specialized Secteur road bike and dressed in a white Madison cycling jersey and a red and black Specialized helmet.