Demand for safety after double crash (From Stroud News and Journal)

Demand for safety after double crash

RESIDENTS are calling for tougher speeding restrictions on a notorious accident black-spot after the fourth incident in just four months saw two drivers career into a house.

Both drivers were injured in the dramatic collision on Sunday afternoon, the latest in a string of incidents at Salmon Springs near Stroud.

Residents Jamie Earley and Russell Bristow, both 35, got home on Sunday to find the two wrecked cars had collided with their 250-year-old house.

Mr Bristow said: "It was just carnage, unbelievable. We have cracks on the outside and inside of our wall.

"So many people that have rang the highways people and nothing has been done. Somebody is going to be killed soon."

"It is just terrible," added Mr Earley.

"The speed limit is 40mph but nobody does that along this stretch of road - the speed they go is just frightening.

"It is a small community here and we have been petitioning David Drew and the county council about getting something done - but nothing has.

"It is really upsetting to think that two people have nearly been killed and it doesn't change a thing."

The two drivers were both taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital by ambulance. Neither is believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries.

The SNJ has run a number of stories on the black-spot. In 2001, Mr Bristow successfully campaigned, with the help of Stroud Town Council, to get the speed limit lowered from 50mph to 40mph.

And in January 2003 a man and child cheated death after careering through three fences and ending up outside the back door of a Salmon Springs cottage.

Top county council traffic officer John Lindsay said on Monday there were no urgent plans to introduce new traffic-calming measures on the road.

"If we become aware of a particular problem we would obviously look at it on its own merits," he said.

"Until we have a chance to think about it a little bit more I cannot give a commitment."

police spokesman Matt Ford urged any witnesses to the incident to come forward to aid their inquiries. Anyone with information can call Gloucestershire police on 0845 090 1234.