Keri Holdsworth

Dear Sir REGULATION 28 REPORT INQUEST INTO THE DEATH OF THE LATE KERI VICTORIA HOLDSWORTH refer to your letter of 28 February 2015 enclosing your Regulation 28 Report following your inquest into the death of Keri Holdsworth on 13 June 2014. You have requested in your report that the Highways Agency close the A19 Dalton Piercy junction to traffic wishing to turn right; and report to you what action the Highways Agency intends to take in this respect. Prior to the above accident the Highways Agency undertook a Route Safety Action Plan to identify locations on the A19 that display a poor accident record_ This highlighted the junctions at Elwick, a short distance north of the Dalton Piercy junction. Study work was initiated to look at what improvements could be made to the junction including the provision of a bridge and the closure of the central reserve gaps. Following the above accident the scope of this study was extended to consider whether the provision of a bridge at Elwick could facilitate the closure of some or all of the central reserve gaps, including the Dalton Piercy junction, along the section of the A19 between the A689 and A179 junctions. Hartlepool Borough Council are partner in this study The study is due to report in August 2015. Closure of any of the gaps, including the Dalton Piercy junction will be dependent on the outcome of the study which will consider whether there are viable alternative routes for right turning traffic and whether there is a strong business case for doing so. Construction of any subsequent scheme would be subject to availability of funds_