Advice signs installed at bridges on A12
A series of incidents in which objects were dropped on to
vehicles on the A12 has led to special advice signs being installed
at bridges in the Chelmsford area.
Photo: Chief Insp Richard Phillibrown and Adam
Pipe, Essex Police's casualty reduction manager, with two of the
signs
The black and yellow notices give drivers
information on what to do in the event of any emergencies and will
be set up near 10 bridges between Mountnessing and`Boreham.
Each sign gives a number for the bridge to help emergency
services to identify the precise location and reach the scene as
quickly as possible. It also tells callers to dial 999 if they see
anything suspicious or need urgent assistance.
The signs were suggested by officers from Essex Police’s
Casualty Reduction Unit to ensure that non-local users of the A12
gave clear and precise information about the location of any
incidents.
They have been paid for and provided by the Highways Agency,
which has also produced a similar 60 signs on the A12 and the A14
in Suffolk.
Chief Inspector Richard Phillibrown, head of special operations
for Essex Police, said: "It is important that we receive
information quickly and precisely in any incident. But as the A12
is a major trunk route and is used by hundreds of thousands of
people from outside Essex many people could be confused about their
location on the road. We are grateful to the Highways Agency for
providing these notices which will help us get our officers and
other emergency services to the scene as quickly as possible."
Essex detectives are still investigating the two incidents that
occurred on the evening of December 1 last year, in which a block
of concrete and a large stone were dropped on to cars on the A12.
Anyone with information about those incidents at Ingatestone and
near Galleywood, should contact Essex Police on 101 or call
Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.