A young woman died at the accident blackspot her uncle has campaigned to have turned into a safe crossing – for a decade.
Vicki Woodbridge, 20, was stuck by a brown Volkswagen Touran when she crossed the road on her way home.
A stream of cars drove past the scene in Swanley, Kent, without stopping until a concerned motorist was alerted by the driver’s screams and got out to give Vicki emergency CPR.
Vicki was rushed to the King’s College Hospital, London, where doctors put her on a life support machine, but she died 24 hours later from serious head injuries.
Her family have now revealed how their devastated has been compounded because Vicki’s death came at the danger spot her local councillor uncle has been lobbying to have changed for years.
Cllr Robert Woodbridge, 53, said the speed limit on the road should have been reduced from 40mph to 30mph “years ago.”
He said: “Vicki’s mum and dad are just falling to pieces, they’re obviously devastated. That’s the only way to put it.
“She was always a happy, smiling child. She never let anything get her down.
“It is ridiculous that you have to wait for a fatality to get things done, the speed limit on this road should have been reduced years ago.”
Cllr Woodbridge started the campaign in 2002 after running as a Labour candidate for Swanly Town Council, in 1999.
He has now decided to name the campaign after Vicki as he battles with Kent County Council to reduce the speed limit at the accident blackspot.
The former Swanley Town Council Leader said: “The campaign started because there was so many car accidents along the road there.
“Nobody has died there as far as I know but it is ridiculous that it has taken somebody to be killed for this campaign to come to light.
“What it is is a small little town with 30 mph roads but this one is 40mph and there has been a number of crashes there in the past.
“I have been trying to persuade Kent County council to do something for years now but they haven’t done anything and neither has the Highway Agency.
“The reason nothing has been done is because of the cost of changing the limit but I don’t see how it can be so expensive.
“Once we have got the funeral out of the way I will go back to campaigning and hopefully something will eventually be done.”
Gemma Kelsey was driving on London Road, Swanley, Kent, at 6pm on January 30 when she saw the car in front of her suddenly swerve.
She parked up and got out to see what had happened and to see if she could do anything to help.
Seeing Vicki stranded on the road she stayed by the stricken 20-year-old’s side until ambulance paramedics to try and save her life.
Vicki’s death came just the day before the family were due to lay her late grandmother, Jenny Playfoot, to rest.
