POLICE are today expected to name a 20-year-old man killed in a head-on collision on a notorious stretch of the A11.

Russell Claydon

POLICE are today expected to name a 20-year-old man killed in a head-on collision on a notorious stretch of the A11.

The carriageway at Elveden was closed for eight hours yesterday as officers investigated the circumstances of the early morning crash.

The road is currently the subject of a public inquiry into plans to make it a dual carriageway.

Campaigners fighting for the nine-mile stretch between Thetford and the Fiveways Barton Mills roundabout to be dualled said the tragedy provided fresh evidence for the urgent need of the upgrade.

West Suffolk MP Richard Spring, one of the leading campaigners, said: “This is one more terrible and tragic reason why it is of the upmost priority that this road gets dualled and this is yet another ghastly statistic in a catalogue of dozens of deaths on that stretch of the road over the years.

“This is an impossible situation and I am so pleased now there is a public inquiry taking place, but this simply underlines the importance of getting this terrible road dualled.”

Evidence put forward by the Highways Agency at the inquiry last week suggests the new road scheme would prevent 78 fatal injuries, 36 serious injuries and more than 1,000 slight injuries over the next 60 years.

A 20-year-old man from Thetford lost his life in yesterday's crash after a red Nissan Micra and a black Land Rover collided near the war memorial at 3.20am.

Firefighters used cutting equipment to free the victim from the southbound-travelling Micra but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the other vehicle was taken to West Suffolk Hospital by ambulance to be checked over, but was not thought to have suffered anything more than minor injuries.

The lanes between the junctions with the B1106 and the A1101 were closed, with traffic being diverted through Brandon. The Highways Agency was involved in clearing the road of fuel spillage as a result of the incident.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said it had been a head-on collision and there was a pool of surface water on the carriageway where the crash happened.

Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to call Pc Richard Godden at the Serious Collision Investigation Team on 01473 613500.