THREE pensioners died in a car crash at an accident black spot - two weeks before work is to start on safety measures demanded by a coroner.
Council workmen are to bring about a ban on right turns for traffic emerging from Kelsall village at the bottom of the hill on to the busy A54 - the same move the pensioner took on Wednesday last week.
The latest collision led to the death of the 77-year-old male driver of a silver Honda Civic and a 72-year-old rear seat female passenger, both from Warrington, as well as another rear seat female passenger, aged 71, from Rainhill. A front seat male passenger of similar age was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital with serious injuries but released on Thursday last week.
The Honda had come from Kelsall village and was turning right up the hill, across oncoming traffic, when it was involved in a collision collided with a green Ford Mondeo taxi whose male driver, from Wirral, received minor injuries.
In May last year there were three deaths at the same junction prompting deputy coroner Dr Robert Hunter to call for safety measures at the inquest of grandfather Tom Rimmer, 86, from Frodsham.
The tragedy follows two other deaths of drivers on fast roads around Cheshire in the past week.
Kelsall man Alan Wood, 57, was killed on a 'bad bend' in the same road on Thursday last week after his Renault Scenic collided was involved in a collision with a van at Delamere, and on Friday last week delivery driver Ron Birch, from Telford, was killed on his 58th birthday after his Ford Transit collided with a loaded cattle wagon on the A51 at Tilstone Fearnall, near Tarporley.
Cheshire County Cllr John Burke, executive member for highways and transport, commenting on the latest Kelsall crash said: 'In another two weeks the work would have been done. It takes time for local government procedures to work.'
Chief Superintendent Tim Jackson, police commander for the Western Area, said: 'One fatal or serious road accident is one too many. The fact there has been a number of deaths on Cheshire roads recently is devastating and my deepest sympathies and thoughts are with the families of all those affected.'
Chief Supt Jackson said a camera van had been checking speeds on the A54 over the last few months because it was regarded as a 'hot spot' for collisions.
He added: 'Reducing the number of collisions is something we take very seriously.
'We address issues such as speeding, driving while using a mobile, not wearing a seatbelt, drink and drug driving and I'd like to reassure people that this work is ongoing at all times.
'I just hope people using the roads put a little thought into how they can stay safe so that they too don't end up causing pain to their own loved ones or the loved ones of others.'
Witnesses are still being sought in connection to the incident last week. If you have any information, call Cheshire police on 01244 613168 or 613163.
