ALCOMBE fish and chip shop owner Mick Armitage joined forces with neighbouring businesses and residents this week in his campaign to install barriers outside shops at a dangerous roundabout.
Mick has collected nearly 2,000 signatures since two freak car crashes - almost carbon copies of each other - wrecked his shop and left one woman pedestrian paralysed.
Yesterday (Thursday) he handed the petition into Somerset County Council's highways agency WS Atkins to try to persuade them to put up barriers.
But Mick said he also wants the council to improve the road markings at the dangerous junction where he sees speeding vehicles driving "over" the roundabout.
Mick said: "I have heard that barriers will not be put outside until the next financial year but, if there is an accident between now and then, there will be a lot of red faces.
"At this junction there are between 12 and 15 potential collisions a day as there are children and elderly people walking past here all the time.
"People are always coming into the shop to ask what's happening with the barriers and I tell them that I am not prepared to let it drop until something is done."
He added: "The roundabout also needs painting as it is worn out and people cannot often see it is a junction and come speeding through."
County council spokesman Jan Hookings said: "The highways department has submitted proposals for barriers, but first a child school safety audit will have to be carried out and a report will come back in the next few weeks.
"We will also be looking into re-painting the road markings as a separate issue."
Pictured from the left are Mick Armitage and Alcombe Road resident Alison Singleton in front and, at the back, newsagent Peter Tasker, his wife Thea and resident Arthur Singleton.
Photo: Steve Guscott.