A DESPERATE plea has been issued to improve a “dreaded” junction before “innocent people get killed”.

Councillor Carl Walmsley, who represents Whitehaven South ward on Copeland Council, has raised concerns about the junction that connects Mirehouse Road and St Bees Road after a person was cut free from their car on Saturday.

Coun Walmsley, who also represents Mirehouse East on the town council, called the junction an “accident black spot.”

“It’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt there,” Coun Walmsley said. “People go flying up Mirehouse Road, and it’s such a busy junction – something needs doing.”

County councillor Chris Whiteside acknowledged the importance of improving the junction, which has seen eight recorded collisions in the past five years, as well as the death of a swan. He added that it is “on the council’s radar” to come up with a solution.

Coun Whiteside said that if plans for Woodhouse Colliery were to go ahead, developers could be asked to contribute towards highways improvement.

The county council is considering various traffic calming measures, including the option to widen the road and lengthen the slip lane for those turning on to Mirehouse Road. But Coun Walmsley “can not and will not wait for somebody to die,” and is calling an extraordinary meeting with colleagues sitting on county, district and town councils. He wants to see speed bumps, a roundabout, or even traffic lights put in place – anything to reduce the risk of a fatal crash.

With residents calling for an improvement at the accident blackspot, and near-misses happening regularly, Coun Walmsley wants drivers to be more wary when using the junction.

The accident on Saturday took place at around 1pm, and involved a Mini Cooper, Kia Sportage and a Skoda Octavia.

Anyone who witnessed the smash, or who has dashcam footage at the time of the incident, should contact PC Pattinson 2424 on 101, or email 101@cumbria.police.uk.

Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The log number for the incident is 122 of July 27.