A HOTEL director has called for a 50mph speed limit to be introduced to prevent further fatalities.

Robin Smith, director of the Ramside Hall Hotel, has witnessed several accidents on the A690 at the bottom of the hotel's driveway, at Carrville, Durham.

There is a 50mph speed limit down the road at West Rainton but the limit through Carrville is 70mph.

The point where vehicles have to cross the dual carriageway to access the hotel and golf club is the scene of a number of accidents.

Student Michael Rivett, 19, who worked part-time as a waiter at the hotel, was killed on the road and more recently, teacher Karen Toolan, 37, and Dorothy Daly, 70, died when the people carrier they were in collided with a car as it left the central reservation bound for the hotel.

Mr Smith is calling for a 50mph speed limit to be introduced.

He said: "Having been a witness to virtually all recent accidents, it would appear that the problems arise from vehicles crossing the carriageway and the only way to resolve this problem is to reduce the speed.

"Ideally, we'd like to see the whole A690 as a 50mph limit, with an active speed camera some 200 metres prior to our turn in. I'm not saying that reducing the speed limit is going to reduce the number of accidents, but there would be less chance of being killed."

But police and council officials said reducing the speed limit would not necessarily help.

A spokesman for Durham police said: "We are aware of local concerns regarding the A690, especially the section of road by the Ramside Hotel.

"At present we do not support extending the 50mph limit. Investigations into the most recent serious or fatal collisions have shown that speed was not the most significant factor."

Durham County Council spokeswoman said: "The situation will be reviewed after the park and ride scheme starts at Belmont."