WILTSHIRE Council has been severely criticised for failing to take action to prevent accidents on a particularly dangerous stretch of road.

It comes after two cars and a lorry were last week involved in a serious collision on the B4040 at Leigh.

Local residents are upset because they say warnings they have passed to the authorities have persistently been ignored.

Chris Staynings, 67, of Malmesbury Road, Leigh, said: “How many more injuries and accidents have to occur before action is taken to reduce the speed of traffic through the village? The problem is evident to anyone who lives or visits here.”

This particular stretch of road has no pavements or street lighting and is frequently used by schoolchildren.

“Do we need a couple of fatal accidents to occur, or maybe a local gravel haulier to hit the schoolchildren, before anyone takes action?” said Mr Staynings. “We have been issuing the warnings and forecasting the accidents that have then happened.”

Wiltshire and Swindon Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson last year visited the area and listened to the concerns of residents and the local Speed Watch team.

A spokesperson from Wiltshire Council said: “We urge residents to lodge these issues with the local area board. If people bring their concerns they can be prioritised and dealt with more easily.”

Markings indicating the speed limit have previously been placed on the road, but residents have insisted that more needs to be done.

Mr Staynings said: “When will the authorities shake themselves out of their total apathy and actually take action to protect the residents of Leigh?”