THE parents of road crash victim Robert Jamieson have launched a campaign to get traffic lights or a roundabout installed at the notorious Britannia crossroads in Oswaldtwistle where their son died in February.

Robert, 20, of King's Mead, Knuzden Brook, was killed when his Peugeot 106 was involved in a horrific head-on collision with a school bus at the Haslingden Old Road junction.

His mum and dad Robert and Susan later met county councillors at the site to discuss safety measures.

But now they have been devastated by the news that they may only get "interactive flashing lights" at the crossroads.

A Lancashire County Council spokesman said: "These improvements were already in the pipeline before the tragedy. They will consist of a standard junction warning sign, but with flashing yellow lights that are activated by either a vehicle approaching the junction too quickly or the presence of a vehicle waiting at either side of the side roads.

"The design for these is being finalised and they should be introduced in the summer."

The statement adds that a feasibility study is being carried out into the longer-term possibility of a roundabout but this would have to compete for funding with other proposed schemes across Lancashire.

An angry Mr Jamieson says this is inadequate and has sent strongly-worded e-mails to county councillors as well as MPs Greg Pope and Jack Straw to get his message across.

He said: "Following my son's death on that fateful afternoon my wife and I had a meeting with councillors and officials and were permitted to voice our feelings. I pleaded with all in attendance not to let such a tragedy befall anyone else.

"The Britannia Inn crossroads has been a notorious accident blackspot for years and all efforts by the transport agencies involved have repeatedly failed to solve the issue.

"We pleaded with them all, but they claimed a full roundabout was out of the question as the price tag of £500,000 would constitute half their annual spending on rural road maintenance. When I raised the possibility of traffic lights this was met by a better response, albeit with some reluctance.

"I will reiterate what I said at the time. Nothing short of a roundabout or traffic lights will be acceptable to my wife and me.

"We are ready to do battle. A decision appears to have been taken to erect flashing lights at the junction.

"If this is the case then let me assure the authorities that they will indeed have a battle on their hands. I will not allow any political body to avoid their moral responsibilities for the sake of a measly few pounds.

"The police openly support our efforts to have the junction properly managed and to have traffic lights erected.

"We have lost our son and I do not want anyone else to go through what we have had to go through - celebrating my son's 21st birthday at his graveside."

Mr Jamieson added that if a suitable solution was not found he would begin collecting signatures of support for the family's campaign.

  • POLICE have interviewed the bus driver, Fernando Page, 46, of Nelson, and taken a statement from him. They have submitted a file to the Crown Prosecution Service, which will make a decision on whether or not to prosecute.