SAFETY campaigners had already raised concerns about a St Ives road before two people died in a four-car crash.

Driver Attila Kubanda, 28, and his fianc�e Katalin Bedo, 31, died when the Mazda 3TS they were in was involved in a collision with a Nissan 200SX, a Honda Civic and a Toyota Celica on the B1040, Somersham Road, on Friday night (July 27).

A third man in the Mazda, aged 26, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Hinchingbrooke Hospital, in Huntingdon.

Owen McLaughlin, a member of the St Ives and District Road Safety Committee, said: “We actually made representations about this very stretch where the accident took place.

“We don’t know if the accident is related to our concerns – it’s too early to say if the defects were a cause.” Mr McLaughlin said he was concerned that solid white lines down the centre of the road, which prohibit overtaking, did not extend far enough.

“In our view, they’re inadequate,” he said. “The white lines don’t go far enough, so people start overtaking where we feel it is not safe to do so.”

Cambridgeshire County Councillor Tony Orgee, cabinet member for community infrastructure: “Any accident is one too many and our thoughts are with the family and friends involved. Accidents have been halved on that stretch of road which has had a safety camera put near the junction where there has been the most casualties. We review areas where there are accidents and work with the police very closely to take any appropriate action. But it would be wrong to comment any further on possible causes of the latest accident until the police investigations are fully concluded and the inquest finished.”

Eight other people were injured in Friday’s accident, which happened just before 9pm outside Bridge Farm.

The driver of the Nissan, a 22-year-old man from Ramsey, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Hinchingbrooke Hospital but was later discharged.

All other casualties suffered minor injuries including:

• Two 22-year-olds in the Nissan, from Godmanchester and Huntingdon.

• A 44-year-old man from Somersham, who was driving the Toyota, and his passengers, two boys aged 15 and 17.

• A 22-year-old man from Warboys, driving the Honda, and his passenger, a 21-year-old woman from Alconbury.

The road was closed until 4am while emergency services, including police, fire and rescue, paramedics and Magpas, worked at the scene.

Sgt Richard Jackson said: “I would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision or saw either vehicle in the moments leading up to the collision.”

CONTACT: Witnesses should call the Road Policing Unit on 101.