A MOTHER whose son died instantly following a crash 26 years ago is urging council chiefs to finally fund vital road improvements where it happened.

Andrew Fielding was driving along the A540 in Neston when he was forced to swerve to avoid a car that cut across his path to turn into Raby Park Road – causing the 18-year-old to hit another car.

It was the second death in as many years at the location, and the coroner recording Andrew's death called for a review into road safety at the junction.

Pauline Fielding, Andrew's mum, has led a campaign for road improvements at the junction ever since.

She told the Cheshire West and Chester Council overview and scrutiny committee on Monday: "We had recognised the dangers of the junction long before Andrew's death and always avoided turning there.

"We vowed to campaign to reduce the risk of others being killed.

"Since then, traffic has increased on both roads.

"More heavy lorries use the A540 travelling to and from Aldi’s distribution centre, Neston High School has been rebuilt nearer the junction and the recreation centre has been refurbished – yet the council has not provided major improvements."

While the speed limit was reduced in the area from 60 mph to 40 mph, both council and independent reports recommended further road safety improvements.

But none have come forward in the years since, despite support for her campaign from Neston High School, Neston Town Council, former MP Andrew Miller and sitting MP Justin Madders.

With CWAC now finalising its budget for 2020-21, Pauline is urging the council to set funding aside for traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing at the junction, some 26 years after Andrew died.

She said: "Speaking at Andrew’s commemoration on the 25th anniversary, [Mr Madders] concluded that the argument for improvements had been won, and it just remained to secure funding.

"I trust that provision has been made in this budget for our minimum requirements for a scheme of linked lights and a pedestrian crossing protected by lights at the junction.

"Otherwise, the depth of feeling in the community will lead us to protest regularly until it is done. Please do not wait for further deaths before you take action.

"It is imperative that long overdue measures are taken to make this junction safe for school children and residents so other families do not lose a loved one like we have."

Three more public speakers also called for improvements to the junction at the meeting.

Cllr Karen Shore, CWAC's cabinet member for environment, highways and strategic transport, revealed the council is looking at ways to improve the junction’s safety – but the solution would need to be affordable.

"We know how important this scheme is to the campaign group," she said.

"I actually do have a meeting coming up with them where we are going to look at three options, one of which includes an option that they have proposed, traffic signalisation.

"Clearly what we need to do is be creative in these times of funding pressures – be creative about how we can fund this – but there's certainly work we can do to consider how we allocate resources going forward."