Danger road 'must be made safer'

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Thursday, November 19, 2009
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This is Derbyshire

A CITY councillor is calling on the county council to make improvements to a stretch of road where a young father was killed.

Steven Pamon died in the early hours of Saturday when his car hit a tree.

The 26-year-old, of Tredegar Avenue, Oakwood, was on his way to Bombardier, where he worked as a train fitter, when he crashed in Acorn Way.

As reported in the Derby Telegraph yesterday, three serious accidents have happened on the road since January, with a total of 16 crashes there in the last three years.

Derbyshire police said the road was "difficult to navigate" as it was unlit and could be prone to flooding, but none of the other crashes happened in the same stretch as Mr Pamon's.

The road is maintained by Derby City Council, except for a mile-long stretch where Mr Pamon's accident happened. This is the responsibility of Derbyshire County Council.

Now, Councillor Frank Harwood, who represents Oakwood, is backing calls for action from Mr Pamon's widow, Michelle. He said: "As I live in Oakwood I'm well aware of the sad history of Acorn Way and I send my condolences to Steven Pamon's family and friends.

"I visited the scene of the accident on Saturday afternoon. I understand that the place of the accident on Acorn Way is the responsibility of Derbyshire County Council.

"I have contacted the council today to see what improvements can be made to the road to make it safer."

The county council previously said it would consider introducing measures to "try to prevent further accidents."

Meanwhile, an inquest into the death of Mr Pamon, who played football for Spondon Rovers, has been opened and adjourned.

His widow, Michelle, who is expecting their second child in February, told Derby Coroner's Court how she went to the scene after hearing from a family member about the crash.

It was there that she identified her husband's body.

PC Jason Graves, of Derbyshire police's road policing unit, told the inquest yesterday that officers first arrived at the scene at about 6.05am.

He said: "We found a Vauxhall Corsa on the offside of the verge. It looked like it had been in collision with a tree."

PC Graves said paramedics were called but Mr Pamon was pronounced dead at the scene.

Derby and South Derbyshire deputy coroner Louise Pinder adjourned the inquest pending further police inquiries.

Yesterday, Derbyshire police said it was looking at whether the weekend's heavy rain had played a part in the crash.

PC Dave Harris, a senior forensic collision investigator, urged drivers to check their tyres as more heavy rain was forecast.

He said: "Hitting a pool of standing water at speed, especially in the dark, is bad enough but trying to regain control of a car when the back end has unexpectedly 'stepped-out' is a huge challenge for any driver."

Click here to leave a tribute to Steven Pamon

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  • Profile image for This is Derbyshire

    by Paul Smith, Oakwood Derby

    Thursday, November 19 2009, 2:56PM

    “To the Pamon family, I am sorry for your loss.

    I too use this road everyday to get to and from work and know how dangerous it can be at times, I work nightshifts and when it is dark and it rains it is impossible to see standing water due to there being no road lighting.
    This tragedy should have been averted, my thoughts are with you”

  • Profile image for This is Derbyshire

    by Malc, mickleover

    Thursday, November 19 2009, 1:51PM

    “Julie is not on her own I totally agree word for word.”

  • Profile image for This is Derbyshire

    by simonoakwood, derby

    Thursday, November 19 2009, 1:20PM

    “I would say your on your own Julie the road is treacherous specially in bad weather There were two other incidents Saturday morning at the same place unfortunately they were not reported to the police but have been now. I too have had an accident on the road in daylight because of standing oil on the road.”

  • Profile image for This is Derbyshire

    by burtonftw, derby

    Thursday, November 19 2009, 1:13PM

    “just what is the point in councillors?

    they must have hundreds of letters/emails a week about issue's like this but the minute something happens (reactive and therefore too late) they pipe up to further their own agendas.

    middlemen vermin.”

  • Profile image for This is Derbyshire

    by Rams Fan, Oakwood

    Thursday, November 19 2009, 12:51PM

    “Likewise Julie, I have also spent longer than I care to remember driving along Acorn Way, however...

    ..it's a different proposition to that which it was a decade ago. The sightlines are vastly reduced because of the lack of hedgetrimming by the landowners either side, including the County Council. There are now numerous turnings off it at the bottom of the dip (from Chadd end) and just after the chicane (from Oakwood end) which have absolutely no markings, warnings or provision of turning areas; they're just dropped kerbs. In addition to this, the drainage thereabouts seems to be getting worse year on year and, when that's compounded by not being able to see so far ahead as previously, that's significantly more dangerous than before.

    If you're advocating driving so slowly you can react to any possible scenario ahead then you too become a danger to other road users as you'd be driving at 25mph on a poor visibility 60mph road!!”

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