FOLLOWING the death of a popular sailing instructor as he drove to work at a Cotswold watersports centre, the Standard is this week launching a campaign to get the speed limit reduced on this dangerous narrow road.

Robert Hoy was involved in a head-on collision with another car as he turned his car into Waterland Outdoor Pursuits, on Spratsgate Lane near Cirencester at around 8am on June 25.

Spratsgate Lane, an unclassified C road, is narrowest from the Spine Road West to the Cotswold Country Park and Beach and the speed limit is the national limit of 60 mph.

Staff from the centre believe that Mr Hoy's death could have been prevented if the speed limit was 30mph.

They are now lobbying Gloucestershire County Council, responsible for the speed limit on the stretch of road, to reduce the speed limit to 30mph.

Also backing the campaign is county councillor Shaun Parsons, who has asked the council to cut the speed limit and instal speed reduction signs on Spratsgate Lane.

He explained that there was a comprehensive investigation being carried out by Gloucestershire Highways to identify any suitable measures which could effectively improve safety along the road.

“We do not think that just putting in a speed limit would achieve what we want to achieve," he said.

"It is a fairly rural area. The police wouldn't be able to enforce it. We need to put other measures in place too.”

Earlier this month Gloucestershire Highways representatives met with Waterland staff, who asked for speed reduction signs to be introduced as a temporary measure.

Peter Pendlebury, health and safety officer at Waterland, said the company would carry on the campaign to get the speed limit cut.

“If they are burying their heads in the sand and they think it is going to go away it is not. We are going to keep going until something positive is done.

“If they do not give something they are going to get heavily embarrassed.”

He is hoping for 5,000 people to sign an e-petition being launched this week.

During the period 2004 to 2013 there have been three serious injury collisions and three slight injury collisions on the Spratsgate Lane..

The county council said that as there was an investigation into the death of Robert Hoy it would be "inappropriate to speculate" at the moment.

To support this campaign, act now and contact the leader of Gloucestershire County Council Mark Hawthorne via his mark.hawthorne@gloucestershire.gov.uk email address