A ROAD that has claimed a number of lives in recent years should be urgently investigated, says a local MP.

During parliamentary questions, Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff asked Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander to instruct the Highways Agency to conduct a full review into the safety of the A449, between the Claines roundabout and Ombersley, before it becomes the responsibility of Worcestershire County Council.

"There have been too many tragedies on this stretch in the last few months," he said.

"The Highways Agency did a first-rate job of improving the safety of the road north of Ombersley - now they must look again at the section south of the village.

"I am not calling for any specific measures as I'm not a road safety expert - speed limits, signs, reduction of sections to single-carriageway or some combinations of the three are all possibilities.

"I don't want the council to assume responsibility for making expensive alterations to a dangerous road. Above all, I don't want any preventable accidents, fatal or otherwise.

"The road should not be transferred - or de-trunked' - until a proper safety analysis, taking account of its recent history, has been conducted."

A spokesman for the Highways Agency said: "A full safety study was conducted on this section of the A449 and subsequent improvements were carried out in 2006 following a public exhibition.

"Negotiations continue between the Highways Agency and Worcestershire County Council for the transfer of ownership of the road, taking into consideration its safety and maintenance."

He said plans to detrunk the road in July have now been delayed until September.

"The process of negotiation and consultation is taking longer than expected," he said.

An online petition on the Downing Street website calling for the speed limit on this stretch to be reduced from 70mph to 50mph has attracted 153 signatures so far.

The petition, which was set up by Jim Turner, headteacher of nearby King's Hawford School, will be added to the 2,000 signatures collected on a paper version and handed to the Highways Agency and county council.

Mr Turner said the stretch has claimed the lives of 12 people in nine years, with a further 69 injured.