Seaton Senior Council urges motorists to report farm vehicles which leave mud and mess on rural highway

Road safety campaigners say more people will die unless urgent action is taken to prevent mud being sprayed across rural highways.

The warning comes from Seaton’s “Safer Streets” group, part of the town’s senior council.

They say motorists using the A3052 were recently horrified to see farm vehicles depositing mud and muck on the same stretch or road where there had recently been a fatal crash.

One Seaton resident, who encountered both the accident and this latest incident, told the senior council: “I could not believe that this had happened after the recent, terrible crash in which an elderly gentleman had died.”

Tina Trapani, of the Safer Streets group, said: “On this occasion it was possible to provide Devon County Council highways department with details very quickly. They came out straight away, cleaned the road and placed warning signs at the side. As the registration number of the tractor responsible had been given to them, they were able to pass on the cost but this is not usually the case as motorists normally encounter the mud after the offending vehicle has gone.”

Stephanie Jones, Seaton champion at East Devon District Council, said

She had personal experience of how dangerous the coast road could; be.

She told The Herald: “The problem always seems particularly bad along the stretch of road by the two farm entrances from the turning into Seaton Down Hill. I use this road a great deal on my way to Sidmouth and on two occasions I have had stones hit my windscreen, causing cracks in the glass which has resulted in having the windscreen replaced.

“I am absolutely convinced that this was due to the mud and small chippings that farm vehicles leave on the road. This is not only adding to the cost for motorists but is a danger to cyclists and others such as people waiting for buses.”

The Safer Streets group is urging motorists, or others, to report incidents of mud being deposited on the roads to Devon highways department on 0845 1551004, especially if any area of the road has been made dangerous. They are asked to give a description of the offending vehicle and its registration number, if possible.