THE ominous headline "A49 accident blackspot claims its third victim" (Advertiser, November 18), as well as being a personal tragedy for the family concerned, has reminded everyone once again of this dangerous stretch of road and the failure of the Highways Agency to address local concerns.

It is desperately serious that nearly six months after the last fatal accident in Ashton, there is still no sign of the Route Management Strategy which the Highways Agency promoted in its consultation exercise in 2002.

How much longer do we have to wait? Since June there has been a spate of accidents in Ashton and it should be clear to the authorities that the layout of the road needs to be looked at and road safety measures, such as a lower and enforceable speed limit, introduced.

The Highways Agency keeps saying it is waiting for the police accident report, but the report from the fatal accident in June has still not appeared. Investment in the A49 trunk road will be expensive, but there is also a cost in doing nothing, in police time and manpower, in the deployment of the emergency services and in the diversion of traffic and its impact on country lanes and villages.

The A49 may not seem important looked at from the regional perspective, but is the main north to south route through Herefordshire and Shropshire and the accident blackspots in both counties cry out for attention.

I hope that if anything comes from the dreadful accident on Wednesday, it will be to increase pressure on the Highways Agency to improve safety in Ashton and throughout the A49.

Herefordshire Council needs to add its weight to the efforts of Luston Group Parish Council and Ashton residents to bring this about.

Cllr John Stone,

Herefordshire councillor for Upton Ward, including Ashton.

Brimfield, Nr Ludlow.