A PARISH council has stepped up its fight to reduce the speed limit on a village road after three traffic accidents happened in one week.

Residents have been concerned for some time over the speeds driven along the B1264 at Low and High Worsall where the accidents took place.

Parish Coun Owen Evans said: "It is a 60mph road but it is a common view that drivers hit up to 90mph on occasions and that it has become a bikers' run.

"About eight weeks ago, residents raised the matter and we put together a safety briefing paper on it raising the traffic dangers and sent it to the highways department.

"Highways came out and did a ten-day electronic survey across the road, counting the traffic and its speed at each end of the village. It ended last week and it will take about another week for them to analyse it.

"The results will show if a new speed limit is to be brought in. We also have a proposal for new signs from them. I would like to give credit to them to how they have responded.

"Personally, I think we need to publicise hazardous areas more because drivers will hopefully realise that it is a risk area and drive more slowly, regardless of signs."

On Sunday, a 33-year-old motorcyclist and his 19-year-old pillion passenger were seriously injured in an accident on the B1264.

The crash happened outside the Ship Inn at 4.50, when the motorbike and a car collided.

The rider, from Darlington, and his passenger, from Newton Aycliffe, were taken by air ambulance to North Tees Hospital in Stockton. The driver of the car, a 50-year-old man from Thornaby, suffered slight injuries.

On Tuesday morning of last week, the air ambulance was called out to two separate road accidents, only half a mile apart, again on the B1264.

Residents believe that accidents are caused because, as drivers enter the village, they are unaware of two hidden junctions on the road.

l See Letters to the Editor: page 24.