Dear Ms Harkin RE: LiyakatAli SIDAT, Salma Bibi SIDAT, Hajra Sidi SIDAT (Deceased). In response to your letter dated 16th January 2020 we can advise that the meeting of 15th November 2019 has taken place and reviewed the Road Safety Assessment report for the A34 Melrose Way prepared by the Council's Senior Road Safety Engineer. The report recommended that the existing hazard centreline marking is replaced with a hatched hazard centreline. This will give a visual carriageway narrowing effect and put greater distance between the traffic travelling in both directions and may help heighten driver awareness when considering overtaking manoeuvres. This recommendation has been accepted by the Council and the works are programmed to be carried out in March. The Council's has prepared a response to the Coroners Report addressing Section 5 items 1 and 2 but has not prepared a response to item 3 as we understand that the Coroners Report is currently being corrected to remove this factual inaccuracy. Once the updated Coroners report is issued the council will review Section 5 -Coroners Concerns to ensure all items are addressed in its formal response. We trust this response is helpful to you

Dear Mrs Rhodes RE: Prevention of Future Deaths report, A34 Melrose Way Thank you for your emails dated 3rd March 2021 and 20th May 2021 and please accept our sincere apologies for the delay in providing you with a response. Further to your email of 16th October 2020 advising that the Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths relating to Liyakat Ali Sidat, Salma Bibi Sidat, Hajra Bidi Sidat (Deceased) has been updated we can confirm we have taken the following actions in response to section 5 of the report:

Item 1 The A34 Bypass (Melrose Way Bend) presents a danger to life As advised on 25th February 2020 a road safety assessment report for A34 Melrose Way was prepared by the Council’s Senior Road Safety Engineer. A number of options were considered in consultation with Cheshire Constabulary. The report recommended that the existing centre line marking is replaced with a hatched hazard centreline and red surfacing. The recommendation was accepted by the Council and works were scheduled and completed in March 2020.

Item 2 The Melrose Way Section has no continuous white line at the bend section preventing overtaking There are strict regulations set by the Department for Transport for the use of solid double white lines. Melrose Way was assessed but did not meet the criteria for such lines. However, the works recommended in the road safety assessment report were implemented in March 2020 (shown in the attached photo) to discourage overtaking.

It is dangerous to overtake on that section of road. Witness evidence referred to how dark it was and lives are at risk if overtaking is allowed to continue there. The introduction of the red surfacing and hatched centre line aims to discourage overtaking. These measures comply with national regulations and guidance.

OFFICIAL

We trust our actions address the concerns raised in the Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths.

We trust this information is of assistance.