A MAJOR road safety drive has been launched along a moorland accident blackspot.

Redcar and Cleveland council has unveiled the first part of a determined campaign to cut the casualty rate on the borough's highest risk road.

Drivers using the stretch of the A171 moor road between Little Waterfall Farm, just outside Guisborough, and the borough boundary near Scaling Dam, now see four large signs which warn: 111 casualties in the last three years.

As well as the signs, the council, in a link-up with Cleveland police, has started a phased programme of improvements.

The first phase will:

l cut the speed limit between Little Waterfall Farm and the top of Birk Brow from 60mph to 50mph;

l introduce a segregated right turn at Slapewath;

l improve signing and road markings on Birk Brow;

l reduce lanes from two to one on the downhill section of Birk Brow;

The council's lead member for environment and infrastructure Coun Sylvia Szintai said: "We hold the proud record of having the lowest accident rate per kilometre of road in the country, despite the problems on the A171.

"We accept there are far too many crashes on this stretch and have drawn up a strategy we think contains enough elements to make a real improvement.

"We want the signs to be a real warning to motorists so they take that extra care and avoid becoming an addition to the list of casualties."

Police have held two surveillance weekends, dealing with 72 drivers for a range of offences. More operations are planned during the summer.

Insp Tom Brown said: "Drivers who think the open road is an invitation to put their foot down can think again."