ANGRY campaigners were this week calling for urgent action from the county highways authority to prevent further major accidents on a road that has seen five recent fatalities and is claimed to be the most dangerous stretch of A-road in Somerset.

Protesters say that ‘Slow down’ and ‘Danger’ signs on the A39 Minehead-Porlock road between Heddon Cross and Selworthy have become so vital they are prepared to buy and erect emergency warning signs themselves to cut down the risk of further fatalities and injuries.

Since the latest tragedy in May, when Allerford couple Susan Parmiter and Craig Duffy died near the Luccombe turn-off when their Volkswagen was in collision with a Mitsubishi Shogun, local councils and residents have called for signs to cut the road’s speed limit from 60mph and warn drivers of its dangers.

This week, Luccombe Parish Council, Selworthy and Minehead Without Parish Council and Holnicote Tenants’ Association all stressed the urgency of making the road safer for the increasing number of drivers using it during the holiday season.

Graham Haw, chairman of the National Trust Holnicote Tenants’ Association, said: “Many of our members live on or near this road where there are constant near-misses, regular accidents and tragic fatalities. We call upon the highways agency for urgent action to mitigate the risks on this road.”

And deputy chairman and National Trust council member Peter Bate said: “This is being called the ‘death road’ for which the highway authority refuse to provide a speed limit, saying there are not enough houses, and the road is too narrow for continuous or double white lines.

“This is where motorcycles are regularly travelling at 100mph and where police do not bring speed cameras because there is no speed limit except the national unmarked one. A road like this without a speed limit and adequate traffic signage is a recipe for further tragedies.”

Mr Bate added: “The highways agency has provided a letter summarising their situation. It is an almost perfect replica of a statement made by them on a previous occasion when three people were killed on the road in separate accidents. At that time they were warned that inaction would lead to more deaths.

“Something needs to be done urgently. The long and complicated procedure that the highways agency quotes as protocol should have been done years ago and must be put to one side in the interests of road safety.”

Mr Bate said that Kate Brown, a county council traffic engineer, had told him she planned to visit the site to look at signing and lining and would pass on any proposed improvements which were felt to be appropriate.

He said: “What is needed is a 40mph speed limit, road safety signage including warning boards advising drivers of their speed and police speed camera attendance.

“This needs to be done now, not after a long and seemingly deliberately complicated process which takes more years and more lives.”

He added: “I am personally happy to buy some slow-down and danger signs and put them up but I don’t know if I have the legal authority to do that.”

Cllr Henry Harington, chairman of Luccombe Parish Council, told the Free Press: “Despite the best efforts of locals to motivate Somerset County Council, the highways authority and police to set in train the administrative processes to resolve or at least reduce the danger, Heddon Cross remains a lethal local hazard - perhaps another series of lethal accidents waiting to happen again and again.”

He said that “given the accumulating death-toll, it should not be beyond the capabilities of the authorities to enforce speeding laws, impose a lower speed limit and install ‘rumble strips’ to highlight approaching danger.”

More long-term solutions could include reversing unsafe camber and redesigning the road to reduce the likelihood of collisions.

Cllr Harington concluded: “It is generally said of dangerous road spots that ‘it will take someone to die before the authorities do something.’ We have passed that stage again and again.”

Chairman of Selworthy and Minehead Without Parish Council, Cllr Max Lawrence, said: “We have an absolute responsibility to make our surrounding communities safer.

“We are working with the county council highways department who are undertaking investigations following the recent tragic loss of life.

“This stretch of road is a notorious accident blackspot locally and we will work with all interested parties to improve road safety for our residents and visitors.”