Derbyshire council funds new police enforcement area on notorious A632 between Chesterfield and Matlock after residents' safety campaign
A new police enforcement area is to be built in a notorious road accident blackspot in north Derbyshire after a sustained pressure campaign won the support of the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner and highways authority – but a bereaved husband and father says the move is simply “callous and insensitive.”
The A632 between Chesterfield and Matlock has been the site of several serious and fatal incidents in recent years, including a mother and son who were killed in a head-on collision with a reckless overtaking driver just before Christmas 2023.
Residents have long expressed concerns over motorists travelling at excessive speed along the road, and their lobbying has now achieved a significant breakthrough.
Derbyshire County Council (DCC) has agreed to fund the installation of a purpose-built bay near Span Carr crossroads which will allow police to deploy their speed enforcement van, where before there was no space to safely conduct operations.
Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Nicolle Ndiweni-Roberts said: “This is a huge step forward and will be vital for addressing ongoing issues of speeding along this route in the future.
“Every death or serious injury on our roads is a tragedy that leaves a family and a community in mourning. Most of the serious collisions on our roads are preventable, and as community leaders we must spare no effort in reducing the risks, especially when there is clear evidence of a problem.
“I am pleased Derbyshire County Council has approved this measure and would like to thank all partners, including residents and local campaigners who have fought so passionately for change, for their hard work in securing this improvement, which could help to save lives.”
Initial planning is now underway to identify a suitable location for the police bay, with hopes construction work can be completed by December.
However, not everyone is convinced it will prove the necessary deterrent to reduce traffic speeds.
Tyneside resident Billy Boyack, who witnessed the crash in which his wife Angela and son Stephen died on their way home from holiday, said: “Any measure that improves safety on any road is a welcome thing. However, the improvement needs to be appropriate and meaningful to have any impact.
“Sadly in this case it is inadequate, inappropriate and just pays lip service to what everyone knows is required apart from DCC.
“To be brutally honest this is just to make it appear that DCC and the PCC are listening and trying to help when, in fact, the opposite is happening.”
He added: “The fact that they are even going to complete the parking place in December 2025 exactly two years since Angela and Stephen were killed in front of us is callous and insensitive.”
Billy said the occasional deployment of a speed enforcement van will not have the same effect as a permanent system of average speed cameras, which campaigners have been pushing for.
He said: “The police know this, the residents who witness the carnage know this, me and my son know this, anyone with half an ounce of common sense knows this, but not the local council.
“Do something impressive – actually listen to the people affected and do the right thing. How many innocent souls have to die and be maimed before they will actually do what is required?”
Councillor Charlotte Hill, the county cabinet member for potholes, highways and transport, maintains the new police bay is a good first-step, said: “Road safety is one of our top priorities and we continue to work hard with the police to improve road safety on this route.
“The funding we’re providing to create a purpose-built bay for a speed enforcement van is the latest in a series of measures to help reduce the number of collisions on the A632, and we’ll continue to support the police in our joint efforts to improve road safety.”
She added: “We believe the A632 should be included in the national scheme for average speed cameras and other measures which we hope the Government will support us with, and we continue to be in regular contact with the Department for Transport for funding for this through the national Safer Roads Fund.”
The campaign for action has been spearheaded by by Ashover Parish Council and North East Derbyshire MP Louise Sandher-Jones, with PCC Ndiweni-Roberts taking up the cause after attending a parish meeting in April.
Ms Sandher-Jones, a junior minister in the government, said: “I am consistently worried about the safety of North East Derbyshire’s roads. The A632 has multiple dangerous points including Kelstedge and the Span Carr junction. Hugely excessive speeds are regularly recorded and sadly we have seen fatal accidents.
“I am working closely with Derbyshire Constabulary and regional representatives like the PCC to ensure speed awareness on roads like the A632. We must work together to ensure no more lives are needlessly lost.”