NEIGHBOURS on a notorious stretch of road have been left stunned after there were three car crashes in the space of days only yards from their doorsteps.

Ilana Scott, 54, lives in Gravel Lane, Chigwell.

In the last year her fence has been destroyed five times by cars losing control at the sharp bend in the road just beyond the Miller’s Lane.

Residents have made repeated requests to Essex County Council (ECC) for the road’s 60 miles per hour speed limit to be cut at the bend and speed cameras to be installed to deter people from speeding.

On October 8, Mrs Scott was enjoying Saturday morning at home when, at about 11am, she heard a crash and a woman screaming.

She ran outside to find a young woman injured at the wheel of her white Fiat 500 car.

The woman had lost control of the vehicle on the bend and crashed in to the back of a black Peugot 508.

Mrs Scott said: “The young girl was screaming. She kept on saying that she could not feel her legs. I stayed with her until the ambulance came and they said thankfully she was mainly suffering from shock.”

Later that same day, at about 4.30pm, a blue Ford Fiesta hit a grass bank only yards from the scene of the first accident.

Ronald Till, who lives next door to Mrs Scott, said: “I heard this thump and looked out to see if my fence was still there.

“A car had come hurtling round the corner and surmounted the bank by the road which span the car round so it was facing the wrong way.”

Police and an ambulance were called but fortunately the man driving the car was unhurt.

Then, only days later, on October 12, there was a third accident on the road.

Mr Till said: “I was doing some painting and heard another thud. Further up the road there was a car turned over in the ditch. At first I thought it was on fire but it was just dust from the road.”

Police and an ambulance were called and the man driving the vehicle, a black Ford Focus, was treated for minor injuries at the scene.

Mrs Scott said: “All of the neighbours here were really upset about it afterwards.

“We urgently need measures taken here to slow the traffic down. Something needs to be done quickly.”

Councillor Tracey Chapman, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said: “ECC has recently carried out a countywide speed limit review and are investigating the current speed limit in Gravel Lane. Enhanced signage is due to be implemented shortly. Further accident remedial works are being considered for the 2012-13 financial year.”

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