Calls for action after collision on A941 between Elgin and Lossiemouth at ‘notorious’ Moray junction
A town’s community council is calling for action after another collision on a “notorious” junction this week.
Lossiemouth Community Council has written to the roads department and Police Scotland North East expressing concerns regarding the Muirton Junction where the B9135 meets the A941.
The road was closed for a period on Tuesday after a car and a minivan collided at the junction. A man has since been arrested in connection with the incident.
Several collisions have taken place on the junction this year including one that claimed the lives of two teenagers in March.
Another incident left a 20-year-old biker in “serious condition” on October 2 after a crash involving a van.
The concerns of the local community have now been directed towards the roads department and the police.
A spokesperson for Lossiemouth Community Council said: “We expressed concerns about the number of accidents and asked for action of some kind if possible.
“As we await a response we would urge drivers to take care on exiting the junction as it can be really hard to judge the speed of others on the main road.
“Please also be patient with others who may hesitate on exiting the junction.
“Lastly, please reduce your speed and be aware of vehicles exiting the junction.
“We know this is all common sense but no harm in trying to raise awareness and reduce further accidents.”
Drivers currently follow a Give Way sign at the junction but some locals are calling for a more stringent measure to be put in place.
Fran Hutton is among them. In the aftermath of Tuesday’s collision Ms Hutton set up a petition calling for traffic lights to be installed at the junction.
The petition, which was posted publicly on Facebook, is calling for immediate action to be taken to create a “safer neighbourhood”.
It reads: “Our tight-knit community has suffered unnecessarily.
“Too many of us have experienced the terror that comes from navigating a notorious accident hotspot in our neighbourhood.
“We've lost count of the close-calls, minor mishaps, and near fatalities that occur almost daily.
“The lack of a comprehensive traffic management system has turned this hotspot into a nightmare for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.
“Traffic lights have the potential to drastically reduce these incidents by controlling the flow of traffic and providing pedestrian safety.”
Ms Hutton’s petition added: “By installing traffic lights, we make a commitment to safeguard the lives of our community members and to ensure no families need to mourn a loss that could have been avoided with proper precautions.
“We call upon our local authorities to take immediate action.
“Install traffic lights at our notorious accident hotspot, and help us take a step towards improved road safety.”
Moray Council have contacted Police Scotland for up to date records on collisions to determine if the junction has played a role in recent incidents.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: “The council is aware of the recent collision at the A941/Muirton Road junction, as well as previous incidents in the area, which have various contributing factors that need to be considered, along with the road and roadside environment.
“The council will review information from Police Scotland as soon as its available.
“After that, we will consider whether the road or roadside environment has played a role in these collisions.
"Road safety is of high importance to everyone, and the responsibilities shared by the council, emergency services, employers and road users are reflected in the council’s Road Safety Plan and the work done by all community partners to maintain Moray’s strong overall track record in road safety and mitigate risk to road users where possible.”