Urgent action called for after another crash at roundabout on Cooper Lane in Shelf

There was a two-vehicle crash at the roundabout on Cooper Lane in Shelf on June 6 - the latest in a number of collisions at the location.

There was another two-vehicle collision on August 26 last year at the roundabout involving a car and a minibus.

Antony Rogivska died in a crash in December 2016 after the red Seat Ibiza he was driving crashed into a house at the junction of Cooper Lane and Carr House Road.

A two-car crash happened at the roundabout in June 2017, and a month later a car crashed through a wall there.

An elderly man had to be cut from his car after crashing with a tractor in December 2017, before another crash at the roundabout the next day.

A car involved in the latest collision hit the Space4craft shop close to the roundabout, hitting the building with such force that it detached the shop’s gas pipes.

“Our gas pipes are encased in a wooden structure, but it completely came away from the wall,” said owner Mo Schofield.

“There was a lot of leakage from the cars, and there were shouts of “get away, run away!” thinking it was petrol.

“I think it was probably radiator fluid but that was pretty scary

Mo said it was a near miss that someone wasn’t hit by one of the cars last week.

“It’s not safe,” she said. “We had two people leave our workshop just before it happened. I’d gone to bring the shutters down.

“It could have taken any pedestrian out that was there.

“We want our customers and our neighbours to be protected, and we’d really like the council to do something.

“We want to see what we can do to protect the building and protect pedestrians. It’s quite scary.

“I feel we run a service for the community - we sell local people’s work in the shop and run workshops, but we want to make it safe.

“Local people find that it’s a roundabout that doesn’t behave like a roundabout - people just drive straight through it.

“It’s getting so close to somebody being injured.

“But people in Shelf are brilliant - we’ve already had one lady come round with a bunch of flowers, and we were taken in by people who had been to our workshop.”

Mo fears there will be another serious incident if preventative action is not taken.

“There are two bus stops either side, so there’s a lot of school traffic, and a lot of kids crossing the road,” she said.

“What if you get somebody coming off a bus and crossing the road, but a car doesn’t see them?

“I don’t want them to wait until somebody loses a life before something is done.”

Local resident Phil Virco said: “The Councillors will trot out the same excuses.

“Perhaps they ought to come down and see for themselves; and face the residents.

“The local MP has been in touch with the traffic department of the Council. Perhaps they ought to come and see the roundabout as well.

“The Council’s attitude stinks. Their excuses are lame.

“The junction needs redesigning as soon as possible, with a consultation of residents and businesses.

“The high wall, of one resident, needs to be lowered or taken down, as that causes a clear obstruction.

“Calderdale Highways Department and the local Conservative Councillors need to held to full account for their actions, or lack of, and a full, public meeting or inquiry needs to be held.”

Councillor Peter Caffrey (Northowram and Shelf, Con) said: “It’s not very well marked. The suggestion is there should be a stop/give way sign.

“It’s one of those mini roundabouts that no-one knows how to use.

“The main problem is traffic coming down Cooper Lane speeding straight across.

“It’s a bit like a merry-go-round.

“The Highways Agency have been to it a few times and done reports and made recommendations about repainting it.

“Nothing seems to have worked.

“Some of the accidents there have been very serious. It’s a major problem.

“But I don’t think anyone knows what the solution is.

“When you look at the cars involved, you wonder people got out of them.

“I know residents are fed up about it.

“Something does need doing. I wish I knew the answer.

“One day there will be another fatality. I don’t think it’s a question of when.”

Coun Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Resources, said: “We are reviewing this junction following a number of collisions, to identify if there are any further potential improvements. In 2017/18 we improved the signage and lining around the junction, which has had a positive effect. Whilst the level of reported casualties has fallen, we are aware of people’s ongoing concerns about the operation of the mini-roundabout, so as part of the review we will be looking at further options.

“As always, we urge people to drive carefully to help keep Calderdale safe, taking into account other drivers, pedestrians, the conditions and speed limits.”