A5 crash which killed man and kids sparks speed camera calls
A crash which killed a man and two children has sparked a campaign for a speed camera to be installed on the A5 near Hinckley[1]. The man in his 30s, was driving a BMW with a woman, a girl aged four and a nine-year-old boy inside when the car collided with a lorry in Watling Street at 4.24pm on Friday, September 9.
The man and the nine-year-old boy were pronounced dead at the scene while the woman and the four-year-old girl were taken to hospital where the girl died a short time later. The woman, who is in her 30s, remains in serious but stable condition in hospital.
Police said the driver of the lorry was not seriously injured. An investigation into the crash is ongoing[2]
Residents who live nearby are now calling for a speed camera along the stretch of the A5, off the M69, where the incident occurred and which they say is "dangerous". A change.org petition was started today describing Friday's incident as an "unimaginable tragedy" and calling for "immediate action" to be taken.
It said: "Concerned residents of Hinckley[4] and surrounding areas are deeply saddened and disturbed by the increasing number of accidents and tragic incidents occurring on the A5 road near our town. It is with a heavy heart that this petition is started to urgently address the pressing need for a speed camera installation on this dangerous stretch."
One resident who has signed the petition, Ken Clarke, has lived in the area for 22 years. Friday's fatal incident happened at the bottom of his driveway.
He said: "There have been more than 50 incidents along this stretch in the time I have lived here. When these incidents happen, you just try not to think about it, without being disrespectful to the families involved.
"I have contacted the authorities each time there has been an incident to say something needs to be done but it is dismissed. I feel it is because it does not affect them - out of sight out of mind," he said. Mr Clarke said he had previously campaigned to lower the speed limit to 40mph, which it is currently but believes more needs to be done to make the road safer.
Jonathan Clarkson, spokesperson for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership[5] said: "The Road Safety Unit at Leicestershire Police is constantly dealing with very high volumes of speeding offences, however, whether it be via our fleet of speed camera vans, our fixed roadside speed cameras, the enforcement efforts of local police officers and regular FATAL4 operations, we are committed to reacting to community concerns about excessive speeds and keeping the roads of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland safe for everyone.
"The A5 from Hinckley’s A47 Dodwells roundabout to Lutterworth[6] is one of our mobile camera core routes which benefits from regular speed enforcement to help modify driver behaviour. Further details of the locations of our core speed camera sites can be found online.
"We encourage local residents to contact us with their road safety concerns online via www.speedorsafety.com/community in order to help us keep a record of those roads on which there is a perceived problem with excessive speeds. If a specific location meets our camera criteria following a covert speed survey it will be considered suitable for speed enforcement."
A National Highways spokesperson said: "We offer our condolences to those involved in Friday’s incident. As investigations into the incident are ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further."
References
- ^ near Hinckley (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ investigation into the crash is ongoing (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Motorbike passenger dies after crash with car on A606 south of Melton (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Hinckley (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ spokesperson for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Lutterworth (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)