Pictured: Car crashes into side of house in Great Stretton - prompting calls for speed limit review
A woman had to be cut free from a car after it crashed into the side of a home.
The incident happened in Great Stretton, near Stoughton, on Monday night.
The crash was the latest in a series of serious accidents in recent months along a mile-long stretch of Gartree Road between Shady Lane, in Oadby, up to Great Stretton.
Two county councillors are calling for a fresh look at speed limits on the road, which has seen cars running into buildings and ditches, to determine whether they are appropriate.
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In Monday's collision, a Renault Clio left Gartree Road just before 9.30pm and crashed into a barn conversion, causing plaster to fall off the walls.
Firefighters took about an hour to free the female driver, who was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary by ambulance. Her age and information about her condition have not been released.
Billie Voss, 54, who lives next door to the home hit by the car, said: "I heard a loud bang. My husband went out to check everybody was okay.
"The family who live there were inside watching TV and the impact brought plaster off the walls, but luckily the walls are about 18 inches thick.
"It's a dangerous bend."
Keith Vaughan, who lives close to the scene of the crash, said: "We have had so many accidents around here. There have been 30 accidents 200 yards either side of our home in the 20 years we've lived here."
He said there had been so many crashes at a T-junction where the road from Houghton joins Gartree Road, officials had "given up replacing the road sign opposite the junction".
"We've had a car overturn in the ditch opposite our house and two years ago one demolished our fence," he said.
"When we pull out of our drive in the morning we're in fear of our lives."
Less than a mile away from the site of the latest crash, opposite the junction with Shady Lane, in Oadby, is a black Vauxhall Astra believed to have crashed through metal railings into a ditch between Christmas and New Year.
Stout metal railings, which it is believed are there to protect utility equipment, have still not been repaired after a previous crash.
In November, a motorist was taken to hospital after a car and a van collided at the same spot.
Councillor Simon Galton, whose county council Launde ward includes the Shady Lane junction with Gartree Road, said: "I've seen two or three accidents at that spot recently. For people turning in and out of Shady Lane, and further along at the turning for Stoughton, it can be quite daunting with the speed traffic goes at.
"We need to do a speed survey of the whole of Gartree Road."
Councillor Kevin Feltham, whose Gartree ward includes Great Stretton, said there was a double bend and a dip in the road at the scene of the latest accident.
He said: "In Great Stretton, I would like to see the speed limit reduced to 50mph, or even 40mph."
A county council spokesman said: "We are aware of concerns about this site, especially the junction with Shady Lane, and we will be investigating it in due course."
Comments
by beats
Saturday, January 12 2013, 5:03PM
“Well said flow719
This young lady will probably have the toughest few months of her life ahead of her. Best wishes to her and her family.”
by flow719
Saturday, January 12 2013, 1:38PM
“shes no idiot, she wasnt even speeding, she knows the road as she drives it to and from work, the police said the road was very bad at the time it happened, do you really think she would want to put her car into somes house? I THINK NOT..she lost control and this could happen to anyone of us, maybe it would be ok if it was one of you or a family member of yours guess you would just see it as the accident it was then hey? shes still very poorly in hospital but the main thing is shes ALIVE dont you think? a car a house a fence what ever can be fixed but you cant bring someone back once they are gone”
by JT1981
Thursday, January 10 2013, 1:51PM
“The most important thing here is that the girl is ok.......pretty sad its not be mentioned once! Accidents happen wether your within the speed limit or not.....thats why they are called 'accidents'.”
by New_Walk_View
Wednesday, January 09 2013, 10:49PM
“"It's a dangerous bend."
Like all bends - only if you try to negotiate it at the wrong speed.”
by georgeisafish
Wednesday, January 09 2013, 8:29PM
“about time the law punished those idiots who lack driving ability, letting the rest of us get on with using the road network, free of crazy restrictions. there's no reason a vehicle can't be driven down there at, or around the speed limit, without putting the vehicle on its roof, or into someones barn.”
by Eastonian
Wednesday, January 09 2013, 1:53PM
“There have been a spate of accidents along this road in recent months all, I suspect, to do with stupidity. The fact is if folk drive with due care and attention these incidents would not happen.
No doubt thousands of pounds of taxpayers' cash will be spent on "traffic calming" measures through the indiscipline of a few idiots.”
by Graham_LE8
Wednesday, January 09 2013, 10:14AM
“Irrespective of the posted limit, it is still up to the driver to drive within their capability and taking account of the prevailing conditions - if there have been so many incidents then clearly this has not been happening...”
by MrBud
Wednesday, January 09 2013, 8:20AM
“Really should be 30mph, that road can get very bad during late evenings and weather conditions”