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Demand for action after woman's death on road

From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Tuesday 30th Mar 2004.

A COUNCILLOR has called for road safety measures to be introduced on the road where a 49-year-old woman died at the weekend.

On Sunday night police said a car being driven at 'excessive speed' took off from the humpback bridge in Gorse Street, Blackburn, and ploughed into Klauduia Visockaja, carrying her for 30 feet.

The Lithuanian, from Burnley Road, died from massive injuries, and yesterday four men were being questioned by police.

Coun Yusuf Jan-Virmani, who lives in nearby Burnley Road and covers the Audley ward, said residents have been asking for safety measures to be introduced.

He said: "Everybody uses it as a short cut to go to town.

"The issue is the cars which are going too fast over that bridge. We need a set of traffic lights there - the complaints have all been about slowing the traffic down there.

"I am going to team up with other councillors and residents, and we will look at trying to do something about it. Hopefully we are going to organise meetings as soon as possible.

"There have been lots of accidents and lots of residents have reported them. It's very dangerous, and a death has happened now, which is what we have been saying for some time. It shouldn't have happened, it's as simple as that."

Ms Visockaja was struck by the car, which police say lost control after crossing the humpback bridge.

Ross Heron, chair of the Blackburn Area Road Safety Association, said that bridges like the one in Gorse Street are classed as 'zones of invisibility,' and his members are taught to follow the Highway Code in such areas.

He said: "The Highway Code states that you should always be able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear. A humpback bridge is a zone of invisibility.

"The driver should be aware that there may be something over that bridge. We say to our members not to accelerate into zones of invisibility. Ease off the accelerator and make sure you can stop in that distance you can see to be clear."

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