Pedestrian hurt (From Warrington Guardian)

Pedestrian hurt

on killer road

A SERIOUS crash on the A49 left a pedestrian with suspected spinal injuries - 50 yards from where Robert Lewis died in December.

An air ambulance carried the 70-year-old victim to the Countess of Chester Hospital after she was in collision with a motorcycle just before 4pm on Sunday.

She had been to Bartington Methodist Chapel - and Mr Lewis's widow, Kathleen, who worships at the chapel, heard about the accident.

"It sent shivers down my spine because we are very worried about people coming out of the church," said Mrs Lewis, whose 71-year-old husband died in a collision with a HGV.

"It's a bad stretch of road and we have been asking for a speed limit or to get it redesigned."

The inquest into her husband's death had been held on Thursday, three days before this accident.

Mrs Lewis said parishioners now intend to start a campaign.

"There are often slight bumps on that road where people have been injured," said Mrs Lewis.

"The residents are upset, but we are hoping to get people together at church to do something."

The Holly Bush Pub is letting people use a room for a public meeting about safety on the road.

Mrs Lewis, from Nook Farm in Marsh Lane, Whitley, was also hurt in the collision that killed her husband, and the rib she broke is still painful enough to wake her up in the night.

"I think about it whenever I drive down the road," said the 69-year-old. "I am pretty tough, but I am nervous when I see wagons coming up."

A spokesman for Cheshire County Council said: "We are aware of the fatal accident which happened last December. At the time, it was not felt that new measures on the road were appropriate.

"If the coroner would have told us there was some deficiencies in the road, we would have looked to see what could be done. If any local residents wish to make representations we would we would encourage them to write to us."