Call for lower speed limit on Ackworth road to prevent further tragedy

Paul and Susan Gossedge died last month after the taxi in which they were travelling was involved in a collision.

Roberta Drewitt lives in Ackworth, and was one of the first to arrive at the site of the crash on Castle Syke Hill.

She said she wants to see speed restrictions on the road to prevent a further tragedy.

She said: “I’m the last house before the 60mph sign, and it’s horrendous.

“It’s a very nice village, but you can’t even get out of your drive because of the speed.

“I think it needs to change to 40 mph. People say don’t use speed bumps because they damage your cars, but they don’t damage cars if you go slowly.

“It’s a bit hard for me because I really want to push it. I went up there and I saw (Mr and Mrs Gossedge) in the car. I want to do it for them.

“Their lives have been lost, but let’s not have more.

“You shouldn’t have to fear walking your kids to school.

“We’ve got walkers, cyclists, horses, farmers. It’s horrible. People have lived here all their lives and now they can’t even go for a walk.”

The A628, which runs from Pontefract to Barnsley, has a national speed limit road, but drops to 30mph as it passes through the village.

But campaigners say the lower speed limit needs to be extended, and are petitioning the parish council for new measures to be installed to prevent speeding, including cameras and speed bumps.

Julie Franklin, who is organising the petition, said she had seen cars “racing” through the village.

She said: “We’ve got a lot of speeding cars,they’re flying in and out. Too many lives have been lost.”

Coun Sarah Balfour, Chairman of Ackworth Parish Council, said: “We are all shocked and upset at this tragic accident that took the lives of two well-loved and respected Ackworth residents.

“The Parish Council works closely with the police and Wakefield Council to improve road safety in and around our village.

“We will be strongly pressing for measures to be taken to make the road more safe.”