A motorcyclist still recovering from an accident on a 'dangerous junction' of the A354 has implored the local authority to act before it is too late.
Matthew Brignall, 56 from Salisbury is an autism support worker and had been travelling from Salisbury towards Coombe Bisset around 7.30pm on May 17.
Matthew was riding his Yamaha R6 just past the corner for Old Blandford Road, travelling towards the crossroads of Homington Road and Old Shaston Drove when a driver of a VW pulled out from Old Shaston Drove, with Matthew colliding with the vehicle and coming off his bike.
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Emergency services were called, with Matthew sustaining serious injuries including several broken ribs and an injury to his arm.
It is now six weeks since the incident, and Matthew has called on the responsible local authorities to do something about the 'danger spot' before there is a fatal accident.
A few parts of Matthews bike and helmet, including his sun visor, were still located at the scene of the accident (Image: Newsquest)
The crash came just over a month before Greg Condliffe had a serious accident at the very same junction, with poor visibility and high speeds along the stretch of road contributing to making the crossroads dangerous.
The incident has left Matthew unsure as to whether he will ever ride again. He passed his motorcycle test in 1995 and had been riding regularly since 2007.
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Matthew said: "I am a biker through and through, but this incident has left me nervous and questioning whether I will ever ride again.
"It is a disgrace for Wiltshire Council to leave this junction as it is knowing how dangerous it can be, not only for those travelling along the A354 but for the traffic joining it.
"The road is far too quick and visibility is terrible. You can't see far enough up the road and as soon as traffic is committed to joining the carriageway, you are going to have an unavoidable problem.
"The pain was excruciating and something I never want to experience again, nor would I wish anyone else to go through the same experience. You see so many near misses on fast roads like this, and something needs to be done to address these safety concerns before quite frankly, it becomes too late.
"We see a lot more road awareness and support for bike riders in Dorset, and I think it is something that needs to be addressed in Wiltshire. Traffic calming measures are a necessity. It's a joke that by the the time you reach this crossroads on the A354, the speed limit is 60. That is far too quick."
Matthew added that throughout his recovery he received 'exceptional care' from the team Salisbury District Hospital Britford Ward.
A Journal reporter visited the junction with Matthew on Monday, July 1, where traffic was observed motoring down the road at high speeds. The reporter also turned in and out of Old Shaston Drove to mimic the visibility lines drivers would have when exiting the junction onto the A354
Wiltshire Council leader Councillor Richard Clewer, said: “As the local highway authority we routinely monitor collisions involving personal injuries that take place on the highway network. In the previous five years before the two recent collisions there were no collisions recorded that involved personal injuries.
“We will receive information from the police in due course about the recent collisions if injuries have been recorded.”
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