Knutsford driver takes action over 'lethal lack of road markings'

Peter Sharratt is so concerned about the dangers, he got up at dawn on Sunday, when very little traffic was on the road, and spray painted arrows onto the road himself.

The 71-year-old from Tabley Road said: “I thought it was a very dangerous situation.

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"I had witnessed a number of near crashes on the roundabout by people not knowing which lane they should be in.

“So, on Sunday at 4.30am, equipped with a high vis jacket and a couple of cans of spray paint, I recreated what should be there – arrows to split traffic into left turning and straight-on lanes to make the roundabout safe.

Knutsford resident Peter Sharratt has spray painted road markings onto a busy Knutsford roundabout (Image: Public)

“I’m calling this ‘Mark Out To Help Out’.”

Whilst he sprayed directions onto the road, Peter parked his car in front of where he was working with the hazard warning lights switched on, for protection.

He also positioned four traffic cones to cordon off the area and keep himself safe.

"There was very little traffic," said Peter.

"I managed to do two signsin 40 minutes."

The town’s main roundabout is situated at the junction of Manchester Road, the A50, and Northwich Road, the A5033.

Peter said: “I regularly drive on this road and people are very confused about which lane they should be in.

Peter Sharratt has recreated signs that were on the road before contractors dug it up (Image: Public)

“I wrote to the council about this only to receive a perfunctory and unhelpful response. They didn’t say they were able to do anything any time soon.

“When the council sanctioned contractors to dig up the road for electrical work on the bypass many months ago, they should have ensured it was put back into its previous condition.”

The dangers have also been highlighted by Knutsford resident Jim Burgess.

Approaching the town from the south, some drivers, he said, don’t realise that the left lane is for turning left down Northwich Road and the right lane is for going straight ahead along Manchester Road or turning right into the town centre.

In a letter to the Guardian, Jim said: “The roundabout is always busy and an accident there causes significant backlogs in all directions.

“I myself had a very near miss this week and it was only an emergency stop on my part which avoided an accident.”

He urged the council to get the road markings renewed ‘as a matter of urgency before there is a really serious accident’.

Peter echoes his plea.

He said: “These markings were there for a very good reason.

“These signs urgently need doing. This work should be put at the top of their priority list.

“It beggars belief that the council is now relying on a 71-year-old pensioner with a spray can to do the work we already pay them for.

“Permanent markings please!”

The Guardian has asked Cheshire East Council for a comment.