CAMPAIGNERS have renewed calls for safety measures on the A59 after a driver died in a horror smash.

A Mercedes SLK 320 was crushed to almost half its size after a head-on crash with a lorry near Huntley’s farm shop in Samlesbury, police said.

Andrew Morris, 45, was the third man to die on the stretch this year.

Protesters said the county council must act now to make ‘one of Lancashire’s most dangerous roads’ safer.

And county council bosses revealed they were already reviewing the speed limit on the road. Their findings will be revealed in the New Year but some of the A59’s 60mph stretches, such as the one where yesterday’s crash happened, could be reduced to 50mph.

Nigel Evans, Ribble Valley MP, has long campaigned for improved safety at the stretch of road.

He said: “My sympathies go out to the family.

“We have long known now that the A59 is one of the most dangerous roads in the United Kingdom and it is unacceptable that such tragedies are still in regular occurrence.

“It is obvious that the county council and highways authority together need to give the A59 higher priority. Only by investing in road safety will future such deaths be prevented.”

Chris Holtom, county councillor for the Samlesbury area, said the accident was confirmation of his ‘worst fears’ regarding the stretch of road.

He added: “When I heard the news my first reaction was ‘not again’. It is horrific that this has happened again on this road.

“From the Trafalgar junction to the Mellor Brook roundabout, this is one of the most dangerous roads in Lancashire.”

Police said the Mercedes SLK 320 driven by Mr Morris was heading from the Preston direction and the lorry, which was carrying chickens, was coming from the Blackburn direction.

Mr Morris, of Summer Trees Avenue, Preston, was cut from the car by firefighters but was later pronounced dead. The driver of the lorry was not injured.

The crash, at 6.10am yesterday (MON), caused traffic chaos. The A59 was closed in both directions between Vicarage Lane and Higher Commons Lane at the Mellor Brook Roundabout until 4pm.

Commuters reported tailbacks, particularly towards Preston, for more than a mile.

Sgt Alan Baron said officers would be examining the speed of the Mercedes.

He said: “There will now be a full investigation.

“We will be looking at the road conditions, speed of the vehicles and the weather. At this stage we have got to keep an open mind.”

A police spokesman added: “The car and the lorry were travelling in opposite directions and collided head-on.”

Matt Wilson, the assistant manager of Huntley’s, said the business was forced to close until 2pm because of the road closures.

He said: “It was awful to hear about the accident and shocking that it happened so close to the business.”

County Coun Matthew Tomlinson, executive member for highways, said sent his condolances to Mr Morris’s family, saying his ‘heart went out’ to them.

He said: “I don’t want to pre-judge this incident but at the moment we are reviewing the whole of the A59.

"It is a very long stretch of road which has very differing road conditions and you cannot lump it all together.

“We might look to bring the national speed limit sections down to 60 mph.”