A call has been made for urgent measures to reduce the number of car crashes in a hamlet on the Suffolk/Essex border.

East Anglian Daily Times: A car on its roof after crashing in to a garden at Bulmer TyeA car on its roof after crashing in to a garden at Bulmer Tye (Image: Archant)

Since the beginning of the year, 11 accidents have occurred on the same corner of the A131 in Bulmer near Sudbury, close to The Fox pub.

Eddie Brown, who lives opposite the pub, said his family was afraid to go out into the garden “in case a vehicle came crashing through the fence”.

In the past six months, he has had to contend with a serious collision involving a bus and most recently a car landing on its roof and splitting an oil tank in his back yard.

Mr Brown, 51, is calling for action including a reduction in the speed limit from 50mph to 40mph. He would also like to see an anti-slip surface applied to the road and better speed awareness training for young drivers.

He said: “The drivers often come round the corner at speed, clip the kerb, lose control and land up in our garden or in the pub car park. When it rains, the tarmac gets really slippery and that makes things worse.

“Last Monday, a young girl lost control and her car knocked down my hedge and landed on its roof up against our oil tank. We have had gates and fences knocked down and we’ve even had vehicles that have smashed into the house. The pub sign has been knocked down on more than one occasion.

“It’s a total nightmare – you can’t cross the road without the fear of being run over. In the past four years, there have been 35 crashes on this spot and we have just had enough of it.”

In December last year, a 30-year-old woman was left with serious injuries when her vehicle was involved in a head-on crash with a bus at the same spot.

On that occasion, Mr Brown – a former firefighter – was the first person on the scene, and he said the woman was “lucky to be alive”.

He believes the current 50mph speed limit is “unenforceable unless someone is constantly standing on the corner with a speed gun” and he has asked Essex County Council highways to drop the limit to 40mph, but without success.

He added: “After the last accident, I called highways and they came out and looked but said statistically what we are seeing here is the national average in terms of accidents.

“They said they will not put a speed camera in place unless three people have died in accidents at a particular spot.”

Last night, a spokesman for the county council highways team said: “Essex County Council cabinet recently approved funding to resurface an 800-metre section of the A131 Ballingdon Hill at Bulmer Tye.

“The work is scheduled to be carried out during the current financial year. We have also recently put up accident black spot signs at the site.

“Our records show there have been six road traffic accidents resulting in injury near the Bulmer Fox pub over the last 36 months – two were serious and four minor.

“The road carries a 50mph speed limit, however, we have placed an advisory 30mph limit here. As ever, we urge motorists to observe speed limits and drive carefully at all times.”