ROAD safety campaigners have slammed county council highways chiefs over 'inaction' in the wake of a crash in which two South Cheshire men died.

More than 300 letters calling for action over the notorious A530 from Brad-field Green at Crewe to Wimboldsley were sent to the county council after the route claimed two more victims eight weeks ago.

But residents say they now fear nothing will be done about the problem for months - or even years.

Highways bosses have responded by telling them that an assessment of the A530 will be carried out sometime in 2004, and only after that has been completed will action - if any - be taken.

Steven Begley, 45, of Colley's Lane, Willaston, and Samuel Narteh, 36, of Catherine Street, Crewe, were killed in the head-on smash near the Verdin Arms pub as they travelled home from work at the Morrisons distribution depot in Rudheath on October 7.

Ironically, the smash happened just a day after residents launched a petition about the road.

Resident Jayne Tunstall, one of the organisers of the campaign, said: 'The response from Cheshire County Council we have received says a lot about nothing. There are no firm dates for action.

'They are going to look at it in 2004 but that could be 12 months off, and then we would have to wait even longer for any action to be taken.'

Residents want to see the speed limit slashed from 60mph to 40mph, an increase in the use of double white lines to restrict overtaking through the village, and weight and width restrictions on School Lane and Dragons Lane.

Cheshire County Council's area traffic manager, Bob Marsden, said the council was in the process of reassessing speed limits on Cheshire's roads.

In a letter to residents, he said: 'The Speed Limit Review Panel is currently tasked with considering speed limits on specific routes, beginning with A class roads and, in particular, the A530 from Middlewich south to the county boundary which has been selected as a trial site for assessment and implementation of measures as a benchmark route.

'This will include the length through Wimboldsley and, following this assessment, which should be completed during 2004, there may therefore be some speed-reducing measures implemented on this stretch of the A530.

'There have been previous safety initiatives along the A530 which have involved a review and the implementation of new road signs and carriage-way markings in this vicinity.

'Double white lines can only be provided where compliance with national standards can be fully achieved and it is unlikely that additional solid white lines could be provided in this locality, although this will be reviewed in conjunction with the speed limit re-view.

'While we can understand the concerns of the local residents and motorists with the speed of vehicles on the A530 in the vicinity of Wimboldsley Primary School, it can be seen that measures are under consideration to address the issues.'

He said concerns from residents about the volume and type of traffic using School Lane were being looked at.

Mrs Tunstall added: 'If there is an accident on the road it is nearly always fatal, and the cost, both financial in terms of clearing up, and the human cost, is rising.

'How many more people are going to die while people are looking at it? How much proof do they need that this road simply isn't safe?'