A HEREFORDSHIRE village community fears someone will die if road safety measures are not introduced soon.

Peterstow residents claim an increase in the level of traffic and bigger European lorries are putting lives at risk.

They are starting a campaign group to put pressure on the Highways Agency to bring about changes on the A49 that splits their village in two.

Joyce James said the combination of a narrow road, 50-tonne lorries, restricted views and an adverse camber was a potentially deadly mix.

"New European legislation means we have bigger lorries coming through the village and they are putting lives in danger," she said.

"We have elderly people walking to the shop and children waiting for the school bus on narrow verges. Something needs to be done soon before it's too late. We have already had several near misses."

MP Paul Keetch, a Highways Agency official and police officers met almost 40 villagers to discuss the issues on Monday.

Peterstow residents asked if the speed limit could be reduced from 40mph to 30mph and whether a speed camera could be installed.

But Mrs James said they received a lukewarm response from the highways official, who stated that the low number of serious accidents in the south Herefordshire village did not bode well for changes to the road network.

"It seems outrageous that they have a policy that says they will only act if there have been fatalities," Mrs James said. "They should be looking at ways to prevent accidents before they happen."

Mrs James said villagers were forming an official campaign group which would investigate all possible avenues to improve road safety in Peterstow.