Flashing neon road signs have been installed at two notorious Devon accident blackspots, in response to the findings of an annual review into road crashes in the area conducted by Devon County Council highways officers and Devon and Cornwall Police.

Local newspaper the North Devon Gazette reports that, over the last three years, there have been nine injury collisions on the stretch of road, including a fatal motorbike accident.

The neon road signs have been installed on the A39 near Waytown – between Horns Cross and Bucks Cross; and on the A377 at Leigh Cross, Chulmleigh. They can identify speeding vehicles and flash the message SLOW DOWN to drivers.

Councillor Stuart Hughes – Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation – said:

‘Once again, last year we saw another reduction in the amount of people being killed on Devon's roads.

‘By working effectively with our partners – such as Devon and Cornwall Police – and using the crash records, we can target and prioritise our resources to where they're needed the most.

’Flashing interactive signs are a relatively new tool and they have proved extremely effective in lowering the number of collisions and – in some cases – totally eradicating them.

Devon County Council has already achieved a target set by central Government in 2000 to reduce the number of those killed or seriously injured in the county by 40 per cent by 2010.

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