Essex village plagued by crashes after 'rat run' road leaves two dead weeks apart

Flowers left at the scene of Thomas Chapman's death on Hackmans Lane in Cock Clarks
-Credit:EssexLive


As you enter the village of Cock Clarks in the Essex countryside, you're greeted by a welcoming road sign on a sharp bend. Less than a year old, the sign advises people to "please drive carefully", but a pole has been ripped off by the second fatal crash on the road since November last year.

On January 6, this very site, Corporation Bridge on Hackmans Lane, was the site of a second fatal crash which saw 21-year-old Thomas Chapman tragically losing his life at the scene. A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and driving whilst unfit, being released under investigation.

On November 24, 2024, another man died and three people were hospitalised further down the road after a BMW crashed when the vehicle left the road whilst travelling towards Cold Norton. For residents of Cock Clarks, these crashes have taken their toll - not only because of the tragic loss of life, but because they claim their concerns about the road have fallen on deaf ears for years.

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EssexLive has spoken with multiple residents of the village who live on Hackmans Lane, highlighting the speed and volume of traffic coming through the village before using the road "as a race track". The situation has become so unbearable for some, that they are either wanting to move away from the area, or are just sitting "waiting for the next crash".

Essex Highways has sent condolences to all those affected by the fatal crashes, saying measures had already been installed in the road, and that teams always investigate the scenes of crashes including analysing years worth of collision data. For one resident though, he claims this isn't enough.

'A lorry wheel crashed into my yard, it could have killed us'

Heavy goods vehicles and agricultural traffic passing the bend of Hackmans Lane in Cock Clarks
Heavy goods vehicles and agricultural traffic passing the bend of Hackmans Lane in Cock Clarks -Credit:Ian Ewart

Ian Ewart, 67, has lived in Hackman’s Lane for 27 years, and has said speeding and heavy use by heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) have been a problem not long after he moved there. He said: “The parish council are excellent but very limited in their powers. The county council are a different kettle of fish. 90 per cent of the time they don’t reply to emails. To the best of my knowledge the councillor has not answered a single personal email.

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“I’ve been living here for 27 years and there has been a speeding problem for most of that time. They get to [this corner] and tear down the road. They also come from Stow Maries and hare it up here. The bridge has been replaced almost every other year by people who just miss the bend. The most recent crash missed the bridge and hit the new road sign.”

Mr Ewart said recently there were “dragon’s teeth” - road markings designed to make a lane look narrower - were recently installed on the bend in Cock Clarks but they “make no difference”. He said patrols have been carried out, organised by the police and parish council, which regularly catch people going over the 30mph limit in the village.

He continued: “In September 2022 we had a full wheel crash through the yard, it cracked the oil line. [My partner and I] were about to go to work. If that had landed there five minutes later it would have killed one of us. The lorry was doing more than 30 miles an hour.”

The lorry wheel that crashed into Ian Ewart's yard by a lorry that was allegedly going over the speed limit
The lorry wheel that crashed into Ian Ewart's yard by a lorry that was allegedly going over the speed limit -Credit:Ian Ewart

He said that previous councillors had promised new restrictions, traffic calming measures including chicanes and other things, being told it “wouldn’t be a problem”. However, the road still has no restrictions, with the 30mph limit ending shortly before the bend where the crash took place.

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Mr Ewart said a feasibility study has been mooted, but would not include the cost of any buildouts. He described the road as a “rat run” and believes more lives are at risk if no action is taken. He added: “The gap between the first fatality in November and now apart from the [one] email we’ve had nothing. We have been warning since 2022 that someone is going to be killed, and now two people have been killed, that’s the sort of carnage we are getting.

“We want less HGVs, control on speeding and if they put the buildouts the chances [of injuries] will go somewhat. We know they can do it, it’s just a matter of will - how many deaths are they prepared to tolerate?”

Scenes of terror and heartbreak at residents' doorsteps

Horserider Lynn Hammond, who has lived on Hackmans Lane for several years, said she "takes her life into her hands" for around 100 metres from her home until they reach the junction with Birchwood Road. She said: “You get big lorries taking up more than half the lane. They mount the kerbs to overtake me.” Lynn shared how she has to come out into the road, holding hands up to prevent people overtaking them when turning out into the road.

Lynn tearfully shared how following the January fatal crash, someone had come knocking at her door to try and get help for Mr Chapman before paramedics arrived. She said: "The young boy was on my Ring doorbell and he was just looking for help. I was upstairs in bed and didn’t hear him. I felt like he could have been alive [if I had heard him]. A lot of people seem to use it as a race track, they some so fast, the only way to slow them in this area is a camera."

The road sign for the entrance to Cock Clarks, less than a year old, was severely damaged in the crash on January 6
The road sign for the entrance to Cock Clarks, less than a year old, was severely damaged in the crash on January 6 -Credit:EssexLive

Elaine Rutherford has lived on the road for 15 years, and said she witnessed the aftermath of Mr Chapman's death on January 6. She said: “I’ve had two different incidents outside my house, I’ve had a BMW on its roof outside the house. My husband and I had to get him out of the car. [On January 6] I could hear someone crying outside my house sitting in a car. It happened to be the parents of the lad who had died. I don’t want to have to deal with things like that. It’s not acceptable, and we need these build outs to get the speed down.

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“We have all moved there for a quiet, relaxing life and we are having to deal with things the firefighters and paramedics deal with in their lives. We shouldn’t be having to deal with that. We worry for our own safety there now. I’m just waiting for the crash every time I sit in the lounge.”

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “It’s terrible, it’s got more like the A12. The worst thing is the lorries. They put their foot down and go for it as soon as they see the sign. This is the second fatality since I’ve lived here. The traffic has severely increased but the infrastructure has not. I’m fed up with it.”

A fellow resident, who has lived in the area for seven years, said: “There’s no respect for the residents. It’s got worse since I first moved here seven years ago, it wasn’t as bad as this then. Other residents have campaigned for a lot longer than I have. We take our lives into our hands as we get to the entrance of the road; it’s concerning and we shouldn’t have to put up with that. I wouldn’t feel comfortable walking to the pub from here, and I can see it [from my house].”

'I can't live here anymore'

In an emotional letter to Tom Cunningham, Essex county councillor responsible for highways, Hackmans Lane resident Karen Collier said following the trauma of the crash on January 6, she feels she can no longer live on the road. Ms Collier claimed the council has not listened to residents concerns about Hackmans Lane, and the deaths were "preventable".

She wrote: "The grief and frustration in our community are palpable. We are tired of being ignored. Posts on Facebook and other platforms echo the same question from those living nearby: Why are there so many accidents? The answer is clear—because the warnings and pleas from residents have been ignored.

A sign on Hackmans Lane telling motorists to slow down for horses
A sign on Hackmans Lane telling motorists to slow down for horses -Credit:EssexLive

"For me personally, the heartbreak has become unbearable. On Monday morning, I witnessed a scene I will never forget: the father of the 21-year-old victim standing across from our house, as ambulances carried his deceased son away. It is a haunting image that will stay with me forever.

"My husband and I had planned to stay on Hackmans Lane for the next five years, but I can no longer live here. Every time I leave my driveway, I am reminded of the 21-year-old’s tragic death and the burnt-out tree marking the spot where the 38-year-old father lost his life. The grief and stress have been overwhelming, and I cannot continue to live with this constant reminder of preventable loss."

Ms Collier called for measures such as traffic calming interventions, stricter enforcement of speed limits, improved signage, or other safety solutions to be installed "without delay". For Cock Clarks resident Laila Loveday, the recent tragic crashes highlight everything they have been campaigning against.

She said “We’ve been fighting for traffic calming measures for years. Some people try to help but it’s taking a long time. It’s very sad when you get fatals, as that proves the point. But you don’t want to have to prove that point.”

A makeshift sign for the 30mph speed limit on Hackmans Lane
A makeshift sign for the 30mph speed limit on Hackmans Lane -Credit:EssexLive

A spokesman for Essex Highways said: “These are tragic losses of life and our thoughts are with the families. Following fatal collisions on the road network, our Road Safety Engineering team carries out full investigations to find any highway-related factors. This includes reviewing the past 10 years of collision data in the area.

"If clear patterns or trends emerge and highways measures can help prevent them, these will be put forward for funding. Our fatal collision reports are sent to the police where they may be used as evidence in court proceedings, which means we are not able to release information about them until proceedings have taken place. However, the Local Highways Panel and parish council have recently funded two schemes in the area, including Dragon's Teeth and chicanes to increase visibility and reduce speed."

Karen Collier has since launched a petition calling for "urgent action" for traffic calming measures on Hackmans Lane. You can view it by clicking here.