National Highways
Other
Action Planned
National Highways is planning minor surfacing works for Summer 2025, including refreshing road markings and reflective road studs, and investigating vegetation clearance. They are also investigating potential improvements for the junction of St John’s Road, such as signage, as part of a larger resurfacing scheme planned for late 2026. (AI summary)
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1
REGULATION 29 RESPONSE TO A REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS
THIS RESPONSE IS BEING SENT TO:
1. The Senior Coroner for the coroner area of Northamptonshire, Anne Pember, of The Guildhall, St Giles’ Square, Northampton NN1 1DE in response to a ‘Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths’ issued after an inquest into the death of Jane Bennett.
1 NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
I am , Regional Director, Midlands region, Operations Directorate, responding on behalf of National Highways Limited, Bridge House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, SURREY, GU1 4LZ.
2 CORONER’S MATTERS OF CONCERN
The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows:–
“The junction of St John’s Road, Tiffield, and the A43 Northamptonshire is very difficult to manoeuvre. Witnesses who attended at the inquest gave evidence to the effect that unless some changes are made there are likely to be further accidents/or fatalities. I concur with this view.”
3 DETAILS OF ACTION TAKEN
i. Difficulty in manoeuvring at junction
National Highways undertakes regular maintenance activities on the road network to ensure the road network is as safe as possible for all road users.
The Midlands trunk and motorway network managed by National Highways is assessed on an annual basis using the latest 5 years personal injury collision data collated by the Police and verified by DfT. This assessment is used to identify those locations with the highest incidents of personal injury collisions (PIC) so they can be prioritised for further detailed investigations and potential safety improvements. The latest assessment of the PIC data has recently been completed using the most up-to-date 5 years of data available (2019-2023).
Following the fatal incident National Highways has referred to this assessment list and the junction of the A43 / St John’s Road does not appear within the top 100 sites in the Midlands. Although this data does not include the recent fatality it does reveal that this junction has a relatively good safety record in relation to the Midlands trunk and motorway network, with only two ‘slight’ injury collisions recorded here within that 5 year period. Based on this, the junction of the A43 and St John’s Road does not rank highly as a safety problem location, and for this reason we have not prioritised this junction as a location to undertake detailed investigations for a potential safety improvement scheme.
2 National Highways currently have a renewals scheme programmed for 2026/2027 which includes resurfacing, road markings, road studs, vegetation clearance, and drainage for sections of the A43 including St John’s junction.
4 DETAILS OF FURTHER ACTION PROPOSED
i. Difficulty in manoeuvring at junction
In advance of the 2026/2027 planned carriageway renewals scheme, National Highways is planning minor surfacing works for Summer 2025. This will include refreshing road markings and reflective road studs on the A43 eastbound mainline through the junction. We are currently investigating the possibility of including the vegetation clearance in these works.
The vegetation clearance works should improve manoeuvrability at the junction by increasing visibility which will make it easier for drivers exiting St John’s Road to identify gaps in the traffic on the A43 to safely negotiate the junction.
ii. Future Planned Works
The A43 renewals scheme is currently being developed and scheduled for construction in the later part of 2026. This scheme involves resurfacing of the A43 eastbound and westbound carriageway, repainting of the line markings and replacing the reflective road studs from the M1 motorway through to St John’s Road junction. While the physical layout of the junction will not change, as part of our scoping we are investigating potential improvements for the junction of St John’s Road, such as signage.
5 TIMETABLE FOR ACTION
DATE ACTION
Planned for Summer 2025 Minor carriageway repair works. Vegetation clearing in A43 central reserve. Vegetation clearing in A43 verge adjacent St John’s Road junction
Planned for Late 2026 Northbound and southbound carriageway resurfacing works from M1 motorway to St John’s Road junction.
6 SAFETY OF ROAD USERS
The safety of everyone on our road network matters; it is an imperative for our business in what we set out to achieve and a core value of our organisation in how we go about it.
The action taken and planned on the A43 is designed to ensure we maintain the road network to ensure efficient and safe movement for all road users and should help to prevent future deaths at this location.
3 7 Date: 31 03 2025 Signed:
, Regional Director, Midlands region
REGULATION 29 RESPONSE TO A REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS
THIS RESPONSE IS BEING SENT TO:
1. The Senior Coroner for the coroner area of Northamptonshire, Anne Pember, of The Guildhall, St Giles’ Square, Northampton NN1 1DE in response to a ‘Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths’ issued after an inquest into the death of Jane Bennett.
1 NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
I am , Regional Director, Midlands region, Operations Directorate, responding on behalf of National Highways Limited, Bridge House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, SURREY, GU1 4LZ.
2 CORONER’S MATTERS OF CONCERN
The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows:–
“The junction of St John’s Road, Tiffield, and the A43 Northamptonshire is very difficult to manoeuvre. Witnesses who attended at the inquest gave evidence to the effect that unless some changes are made there are likely to be further accidents/or fatalities. I concur with this view.”
3 DETAILS OF ACTION TAKEN
i. Difficulty in manoeuvring at junction
National Highways undertakes regular maintenance activities on the road network to ensure the road network is as safe as possible for all road users.
The Midlands trunk and motorway network managed by National Highways is assessed on an annual basis using the latest 5 years personal injury collision data collated by the Police and verified by DfT. This assessment is used to identify those locations with the highest incidents of personal injury collisions (PIC) so they can be prioritised for further detailed investigations and potential safety improvements. The latest assessment of the PIC data has recently been completed using the most up-to-date 5 years of data available (2019-2023).
Following the fatal incident National Highways has referred to this assessment list and the junction of the A43 / St John’s Road does not appear within the top 100 sites in the Midlands. Although this data does not include the recent fatality it does reveal that this junction has a relatively good safety record in relation to the Midlands trunk and motorway network, with only two ‘slight’ injury collisions recorded here within that 5 year period. Based on this, the junction of the A43 and St John’s Road does not rank highly as a safety problem location, and for this reason we have not prioritised this junction as a location to undertake detailed investigations for a potential safety improvement scheme.
2 National Highways currently have a renewals scheme programmed for 2026/2027 which includes resurfacing, road markings, road studs, vegetation clearance, and drainage for sections of the A43 including St John’s junction.
4 DETAILS OF FURTHER ACTION PROPOSED
i. Difficulty in manoeuvring at junction
In advance of the 2026/2027 planned carriageway renewals scheme, National Highways is planning minor surfacing works for Summer 2025. This will include refreshing road markings and reflective road studs on the A43 eastbound mainline through the junction. We are currently investigating the possibility of including the vegetation clearance in these works.
The vegetation clearance works should improve manoeuvrability at the junction by increasing visibility which will make it easier for drivers exiting St John’s Road to identify gaps in the traffic on the A43 to safely negotiate the junction.
ii. Future Planned Works
The A43 renewals scheme is currently being developed and scheduled for construction in the later part of 2026. This scheme involves resurfacing of the A43 eastbound and westbound carriageway, repainting of the line markings and replacing the reflective road studs from the M1 motorway through to St John’s Road junction. While the physical layout of the junction will not change, as part of our scoping we are investigating potential improvements for the junction of St John’s Road, such as signage.
5 TIMETABLE FOR ACTION
DATE ACTION
Planned for Summer 2025 Minor carriageway repair works. Vegetation clearing in A43 central reserve. Vegetation clearing in A43 verge adjacent St John’s Road junction
Planned for Late 2026 Northbound and southbound carriageway resurfacing works from M1 motorway to St John’s Road junction.
6 SAFETY OF ROAD USERS
The safety of everyone on our road network matters; it is an imperative for our business in what we set out to achieve and a core value of our organisation in how we go about it.
The action taken and planned on the A43 is designed to ensure we maintain the road network to ensure efficient and safe movement for all road users and should help to prevent future deaths at this location.
3 7 Date: 31 03 2025 Signed:
, Regional Director, Midlands region