Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Safety and Littering: A34 and A420

10 November 2020 · 1 other contributor

Opened by David Johnston Con Wantage

TransportEnvironment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

David Johnston raised concerns about safety and littering: a34 and a420 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • MP David Johnston raised concerns about safety and littering issues on roads A420 and A34 in his constituency.
  • Johnston highlighted 1,057 reported accidents on A420 from 2014 to 2020, including 12 fatalities from 2016 to 2019, and 2,593 total incidents and 50 fatalities on A34 since 2015.
  • Minister Rachel Maclean acknowledged the safety concerns and noted Highways England's 12.1 million programme of safety improvements for A34, most now complete.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

David Johnston Con Wantage

MP David Johnston raised concerns about the transport issues in his constituency, particularly focusing on the reopening of Grove station affected by the Beeching cuts and two problematic roads: A420 and A34. He highlighted safety hazards due to heavy commercial traffic and a significant increase in accidents. For the A420, there were 1,057 reported accidents over six years, including 12 fatalities from 2016-2019; for A34, there have been 50 fatal crashes and 2,593 total incidents since 2015. He emphasised the need for safety improvements such as traffic light crossings, safe bus stops, pedestrian pathways, better signage to divert HGVs, and enforcement of speed limits. Johnston also addressed littering issues, suggesting Highways England should be responsible for clearing litter on A34.

Other contributors (1)
  • Laura Farris Con Newbury

    Acknowledged the safety concerns raised and noted that while some upgrades are planned for the A34, there is a need to prioritise safety over convenience. She mentioned tragic accidents on the road and requested meetings with Baroness Vere to discuss specific improvements such as longer slip roads, warning signs, dedicated HGV lanes, and speed limits.

Government Response

Rachel Maclean

Minister Rachel Maclean acknowledged the concerns raised about safety issues on A420 and A34. She noted that Highways England is carrying out a £12.1 million programme of safety improvements for the A34, most of which are now complete. For local roads like A420, responsibility lies with Oxfordshire County Council; the Government provides financial support through highway maintenance funding allocation and integrated transport block funding. She stated that Highways England works in partnership with local authorities to reduce littering on strategic road networks such as A34. The Secretary of State has asked Highways England to commence a new project focusing on congestion alleviation and safety improvements between the M4 and M40 for the A34, involving meetings with MPs to gather views. Maclean thanked MP David Johnston for securing the debate.

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