RESIDENTS are gearing up for a second crack at a 40mph speed limit on the outskirts of their village after they survived a potential disaster the week they were told by Devon County Council that their first request had been turned down.

Villagers believe only the quick reaction of other drivers prevented a major road accident when a lorry jacknifed near the Mary Tavy Inn on the A386 on a hazardous blind spot.

They had already been denied moves to slow down traffic approaching a notorious junction next to the inn where unsighted drivers pulling out onto the A386 have been involved in a series of collisions.

The county council told councillors that current statistics between January 1 2016 October 31 last year show that there were two slight collisions reported to the police at the Mary Tavy Inn junction.

The council said: ’The data is updated once per year and if the new data set, due early next year, shows that the collision rate has risen then Devon Highways will re-assess the location accordingly.

’The location is not currently considered to be dangerous and so no further action will be taken by Devon Highways at this time.’

But parish councillors have launched a petition to try and persuade highways chiefs to think again. They are seeking a 40mph speed limit from the Tavistock direction up to the 30mph restriction already enforced through the village. Mary Tavy has a 40mph speed limit imposed at the opposite end of the village from the Exeter direction.

Parish council clerk Katherine Anness said: ’The council was told that they had been unsuccessful in the same week that a lorry jacknifed in the same area. It could have been a serious accident.

’There have been no serious accidents there recently, but there was one this year which was nasty, although everyone was all right.

’It was resolved at our last council meeting that we should launch a petition and there has been a lot of interest in it so far, with about 50 signatures.’

Mrs Anness said there was a 60mph speed limit on the A386, with drivers suddenly asked to slow down to 30mph as they approached Mary Tavy.

Devon county councillor Philip Sanders, has said motorists waiting to turn right at the junction ran the risk of being hit in the rear by other drivers travelling too fast into a blind bend from Tavistock.

He said not all incidents were reported to the police as they did not involve injuries and said the number of accidents at the junction was ’quite alarming’.