RESIDENTS living near the site of a fatal crash have said they feel the accident was a tragic one off.

On Friday, September 3, Zubair Dawood and Nabeal Javeed were sentenced for causing death by dangerous driving.

The pair, both 20, had admitted the charge which followed the fatal crash in Aldersbrook Road, Wanstead, on June 14 last year.

Dawood, of Bristol Road, Forest Gate, was driving a Lexus Sport down Aldersbrook Road when he lost control and hit a tree near the junction with Herongate Road.

Two 18-year-old passengers in his car, Wasim Butt and Najib Karim, both of Forest Gate, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Dawood was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment and disqualified from driving for two years.

Javeed, of Goldsmith Avenue, East Ham, who had been racing the Lexus in his BMW, was sentenced to 39 months imprisonment and disqualified from driving for two years after admitting to two counts of death by dangerous driving and also two counts of causing death while having no insurance.

The deaths of the two young men prompted calls for extra safety measures to be introduced in Aldersbrook Road, and Redbridge Council has said it is currently working on proposals.

Dennis Blackmore, 82, of Aldersbrook Road, said: "I think there are a lot of safety measures in the road, crossings and islands for pedestrians to cross at.

"I can't say there have been any incidents in the past year since the crash, certainly not any serious ones that I know of.

"Considering it's a busy road, it's not a bad road really.

"I think the sentences are pretty fair because although the two lads died, for the other the two, being in prison will probably be the least of their worries as they will be sorry for the rest of their lives for what happened."

Rob Owen, also of Aldersbrook Road, said there was an accident outside his house a few months ago but he believes the road is safe.

The 57-year-old father of three said: "There was a bus parked up and a car went to overtake it and he drove straight into the central island, if someone was standing at the island they would have been a goner.

"I think the driver worked for Transport for London and he said he had been up for 24 hours and he just blacked out through tiredness.

"I first moved here 15 years ago and there were no crossings, islands or speed cameras.

"The road is a lot safer now so I don't really think there is much more the council could do "We certainly don't get a lot of boy racers along here, I sleep at the front of the house and would hear them.

"I think the accident last year was maybe a one off and I don't think the sentences were lenient. The two involved will spend the rest of their lives regretting what happened."

Another Aldersbrook Road resident, who would not give his name, agreed that the road is not a danger but condemned the sentences handed to Dawood and Javeed.

The man in his forties said: "The road is fine. The problem is how some people drive along it.

"There are bends which slow traffic and there are speed cameras but people find places where they can put their foot down.

"The sentences are disgusting really because two people have died.

"Clearly it's not the sort of thing somebody should be getting life for but imagine how the parents of the two passengers must feel and it doesn't act as a deterrent."