LARGS Police say that the vision behind a new petition to improve road safety on the A760 'can only be a good thing'.

We reported last week that the family of a man who was killed on a busy North Ayrshire road has launched a petition to increase safety measures.

Johnny Baxter was involved in a fatal accident on the A760 Kilbirnie to Largs Road on Tuesday, October 15.

His mother, Elizabeth Baxter, started the campaign with the aim of installing speed cameras on the A760 Kilbirnie to Largs road to prevent future incidents.

Sergeant Donald Fisher of Largs Police said: "Collisions, injuries and fatalities on the roads are always something that Police Scotland would like to minimise and see reduced in line with the Scottish Government’s Road Safety Framework vision.

"The petition by the Baxter family works towards the same vision which can only be a good thing."

Sgt Fisher was asked about the A760 at the recent Largs Community Council meeting held at the Vikingar!

He said: "Regarding cameras or similar technology, Transport Scotland assess the consideration of sites for safety cameras based on criteria set out in their handbook with a view to where they would have the greatest potential to reduce injury collisions.

"The assessment considers aspects including the number of injury/fatal collisions, and average speeds over sections of roads.

"The A760 is a national speed limit A-road, and I think that within the road infrastructure of the area there is place for such roads and speed limits. It is generally well maintained, and serviced throughout the year (winter gritting etc) and I view it would be incorrect to attribute all road traffic incidents on the A760 to being issues with carriageway itself.

"It has to be recognised that driver behaviour can have an influence at times as well.

"All roads have hazards and as we come into the winter, the A760 presents drivers with additional ones like being more exposed to the prevailing weather due to the height it climbs to as well as the low winter sun with longer darker nights.

"I would urge those on the road to be mindful of the hazards and drive responsibly to the conditions, to not drive at excessive speeds or take risks when overtaking, to not allow themselves to be distracted from the road ahead, to not drive under the influence of drink or drugs and to always be respectful towards other users of the road."

The petition now set up by the Baxter family now has more than 1,000 signatures and can be signed here: change.org/p/install-speed-cameras-on-a760-kilbirnie-to-largs-road-for-safer-travel.