South Woodham: Calls For Safety Changes To Road

There are calls to make a stretch of road near South Woodham Ferrers, known as the "Burnham Bends", safer after the deaths of two teenagers there.

18 year-old Bradley Cooper and his 17 year-old girlfriend Abbie Parker died when their motorbike collided with two tractors on the B1012 Lower Burnham Road on September 16, 2012. 

Bradley was riding at the time and Abbie was his pillion passenger. 

One of the tractors was in the process of turning right into a nearby field at the time, but was not visible because of a bend in the road. 

After turning a blind bend near to North Fambridge Hall Road, the 18 year-old swerved to miss the tractor only to collide into the second one which was stationary behind it. 

An inquest into the deaths yesterday ruled both teenagers died as a result of a Road Traffic Collision. 

During the hearing Bradley's mother, Donna, called for the speed limit there to be reduced from 60mph to 50mph. 

It came after one witness, PC Dave Howard from Essex Police, had told the court the maximum speed a vehicle could have been travelling, which would then give the driver enough time to see and react to a hazard, was between 52-56mph - almost 10mph less than the speed limit. 

Another witness, Nicholas Daws, who was a line of traffic behind the tractors and saw the incident take place, said he believed a copse on the side of the road would have also hindred Bradley's view past the bend making it more difficult to see the tractor turning into the field. 

Both Mrs Cooper and Abbie's mother, Louise Parker, have also called for the entrance to the field to move to ensure this does not happen again. 

Mrs Parker said: "It shouldn't be on that blind bend, it really shouldn't be. "For another family to go through this would be wrong. I wouldn't wish this on anyone." 

She added that if the changes were made, it would at least mean something positive came out of her daughter's death: "I've got to have some goodness to come out of this, for other people, to make it safe.

"Otherwise what was the point of her life. We've got to learn from this." 

In a statment, a spokesperson for Essex County Council said: "Following this accident Essex County Council, as the Highways Authority, have taken a number of steps to improve the visibility in this area such as by cutting back the vegetation to improve sight lines. 

"We can also confirm that Maldon Local Highways Panel will be discussing potential improvement measures at their next meeting."