Renewed calls for speed restrictions on the A66 have been made following another fatal accident.
Last week, a woman was killed on a notorious stretch of the busy trans-Pennine route near Boldron.
The incident comes five months after Chloe Lightfoot, a 33-year-old mother of one, died when the van she was driving collided with a HGV a short distance from the location of the latest crash.
Campaigners believe that the road, which switches from single-carriageway to dual-carriageway between Bowes and Cross Lane, and between Rokeby and West Layton, is particularly dangerous due to changing speed limits, lack of clear signage and confusing design of junctions that join/exit the A66.
While the government has confirmed the A66 will be upgraded to dual carriageway along its entire length from Penrith to Scotch Corner, work has yet to start.
Cllr Peter Moss, who is a member of Rokeby Parish Council and whose farm borders the A66, insists action needs to be taken immediately to make the road safer.
“How many more deaths do we have to have before they do something about this road?” he demanded.
“Until they dual the entire road they should put a standard speed limit on the whole section, whether it’s dual carriageway or single carriageway, because people are doing 70mph then coming onto a single-carriageway where the speed limit is 60mph.
“They are relying on people remembering their Highway Code and knowing what the speed limits are. But most people who drive on that road where it goes from dual-carriageway to single-carriageway don’t even notice that the speed limit has changed – there are no signs.
“I really do think that for what it would cost, there should be a lot more signage as well as police cameras because people are traveling too fast.”
The latest fatal crash happened at 7.15am on Monday on the westbound carriageway of the A66 near Boldron and involved a Renault truck and a BMW car.
A police spokesman said: “Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, the driver of the BMW, a woman in her 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Her family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.
“Police would like to thank several members of the public who stopped at the scene and tried to help: their efforts were much appreciated by all those involved in the response.
“The driver of the truck, a 29-year-old man, was arrested in connection with the incident. He has been taken into police custody where he is helping officers with their enquiries.”
The police later confirmed the man who was arrested was released under investigation.
A driver, who asked not to be named, contacted the Mercury to point out a major problem with the design of the A66 central reservation on a stretch of the dual carriageway near Boldron.
Three years ago, he suffered serious injuries in a crash that involved a HGV near the Kilmond Wood junction on the westbound carriageway, close to the location of latest fatal accident.
He believes HGVs entering the A66 and crossing the carriageway are a particularly dangerous hazard for drivers.
“There are occasions where wagons wanting to cross the carriageway have to stop in the central reservation waiting for a gap in the traffic,” he said.
“The central reservation simply isn’t big enough for a lorry and they end up blocking two lanes of traffic. It’s lethal and there are no warnings to alert drivers that wagons could potential be pulling out and crossing the carriageway.”
A spokesman for National Highways said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the person who sadly passed away. It would be inappropriate to comment further during an active police investigation.”
