SAFETY improvements at a blackspot dubbed 'death's junction' have slashed accidents but campaigners are calling for more action to save lives.
A 40mph speed limit and rumble strips were installed at the junction of Middlewich Road and Wistaston Green Road in Crewe after a 90mph horror smash claimed four lives there in September.
Drink and drug-fuelled driver Liam Cunliffe, 30, of Manor Avenue, Crewe, was jailed for nine years 12 days ago for causing the deaths by dangerous driving.
But many motorists feel the junction itself, which is on a blind bend, is at least partly to blame for the high number of accidents there, and want further steps to be taken to prevent future tragedies.
One of those is Audrey Roberts, of Bleasdale Road, Crewe, who lost her son Lee, 21, in the September 11 smash. She said: 'There should definitely be traffic lights at that junction. I won't turn right coming out of Wistaston Green Road because you cannot see properly.
'The problem is it seems like it takes a tragic accident before things get done.'
But Martin Carter, who runs the Rising Sun pub overlooking the junction, said the 40mph speed limit introduced in January had made a big difference. He said: 'I never used to turn right coming out of that junction, but I will now because the speed limit means you have time to see vehicles coming.
'We used to have bumps here every other day. There hasn't been any since the speed limit was put in place. Only time will tell whether the steps taken are enough, but the feeling at the pub seems to be the speed limit is working.
'I can certainly sleep a lot better at night now as there aren't juggernauts steaming past making the whole pub shake.'
Cheshire County Council officials have previously said installing traffic lights would be difficult because of problems acquiring land around the junction.
But Wistaston Green's borough councillor Tom Dunlop is spearheading a campaign to get lights and speed cameras installed along the notorious stretch, arguing 40mph signs alone are not enough.
He said: 'When I put this to the borough council in October, I got full backing from all political parties, which I was very pleased about.
'I don't want to allow this to lose momentum, I want the county council to know how strongly people round here feel about that road.'
