Derbyshire Council’s highways chief has told how work is expected to begin in the spring to introduce signs relating to residents’ calls for speed limit reductions and safety measures along a notorious stretch of road which has witnessed a number of alarming collisions.

Residents and Bolsover Council’s deputy leader, Coun Donna Hales (Lab), have raised concerns with the county council’s highways authority about accidents on the B6417 Mansfield Road, off Ramper Avenue, in Clowne, between Clowne and Bolsover, before the county council announced in November, 2024, that it was looking to lower the speed limit to 40mph through the Oxcroft area.

Coun Charlotte Hill (Ref), county cabinet member for potholes, highways and transport, confirmed that efforts have been made to process the plans and news signs for the relevant stretch of road are expected to go up in April or May after Coun Hales contacted her on February13.

Coun Hales told Coun Hill: “A speed restriction along this road has been agreed for at least 18 months, but there has been a delay in placing the signage.

Pictured is a collision from February 15th, 2025, between a Volkswagen Polo and a Skoda Octavia on Mansfield Road, between Bolsover and Clowne

placeholder image — Pictured is a collision from February 15th, 2025, between a Volkswagen Polo and a Skoda Octavia on Mansfield Road, between Bolsover and Clowne

“I understand that there have been issues with procurement, but again there is a serious potential for death or life-affecting injuries.

“Members of the community have been lobbying for changes for at least two years.”

Coun Hales explained the speed limit on the stretch of road is currently 60mph.

But, following a series of accidents including ‘life-changing incidents’ and ‘fatalities’ campaigners have continued with a long-running appeal urging the county council’s highways team to address the problems with a reduced speed limit and traffic-calming measures.

Pictured is a collision from October 2nd, 2024, on the B6417 Mansfield Road, near Clowne and Bolsover, known locally as The Ramper Road

She highlighted a shocking collision on February 15 last year on the 60mph Mansfield Road which resulted in four men and a woman being taken to hospital.

The district councillor, who represents Bolsover North & Shuttlewood, also said the area around Mansfield Road has been the scene of multiple accidents and a fatality over the past three years.

During the collision last February, she understood four residents pulled individuals from both of the cars despite a fire and looked after them until emergency services arrived.

Derbyshire Police have confirmed the collision had resulted in four men and a woman being taken to hospital with three of them suffering serious injuries.

Bolsover District Council Deputy Leader, Cllr Donna Hales

Another collision on October 2nd, 2024, between a car and a tipper vehicle, also confirmed by police, resulted in two people being taken to hospital but their injuries were not considered to be life-threatening.

Derbyshire Council previously stated as long ago as February last year, that a traffic regulation order was published to advertise a reduction in the speed limit on the B6417 down to 40mph and for the section of Mansfield Road from Clowne to Oxcroft to be reduced down to 50mph.

The county council also explained plans to reduce speed limits have to go through a long legal process before the introduction of additional signage which will provide warnings about the road and the new maximum speed limits.

Coun Hales has told how the scale of the problem on Mansfield Road has meant the community has not even been able to do community speed watches to provide statistics because it is not safe to do so with the 60mph speed limit.

She has been pushing for traffic-calming measures along the road particularly along stretches near to residential properties.

The county council met with campaigners and, after working with the police, it did increase some signage at the entrances to nearby Oxcroft to encourage road safety and sensible driving through the village.

But residents are still waiting for speed limit reductions and further safety measures.

The police have also worked with the Derby and Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership and previously confirmed there have been mobile enforcement sites along the B6417 which have been used to monitor traffic by the casualty reduction and enforcement support team with enforcement taken when necessary and appropriate.

The county council has confirmed the police are supportive of the proposed changes and the council has consulted with its statutory consultees as part of the traffic regulation process.

Police also previously confirmed the force supports the county council’s proposals after the authority confirmed it was looking at introducing a reduced speed limit through the Oxcroft area along the B6417 Mansfield Road.

Coun Hill said: “We’d like to assure local people that we haven’t forgotten this work – it is in hand.

"The signs are ordered and in stock. and we expect that they will go up in April or May.

“The teams that will do this work are mainly concentrating on fixing potholes at the moment and are also those who grit the roads when needed – these are our priorities during the winter months.”