COUNCIL bosses have made a U-turn on plans to cut the speed limit on a Middlewich road which nearly claimed a teenager’s life.

Cheshire East highways has deemed it ‘unnecessary’ to change the 60mph zone of Booth Lane to 40mph.

Clr Mike Parsons, ward member for Middlewich, has been fighting to make the main route between Middlewich and Sandbach safer after numerous accidents.

James Harrold, 19, had to have his legs amputated after his motorbike collided with a police car and two cars plunged into the canal in 2012.

This led to £10,000 being pledged by Congleton Local Area Partnership.

There are still plans to cut the 40mph section of the road approaching the town to 30mph by April but Clr Parsons is furious that the national speed limit zone will remain.

In an email to councillors, David Chan, senior technician for Cheshire East highways traffic and road safety team, said: “There was a suggestion to move the 40mph limit out beyond the new 30mph limit but this has been assessed as being unnecessary.”

Clr Parsons said: “If there’s another serious accident they can explain that to the family because I’ll hold them responsible.

“It’s because it’s necessary that we put forward this proposal in the first place.

“What they’re basically saying is there are no issues in that area. It’s a joke. I feel embarassed by this.

“It makes you understand why people have no faith in Government.”

James Harrold’s mum Lorraine Neal thinks there should be warning signs on the most notorious stretches of the road.

She added: “James’ accident hasn’t been the only one. Cars have careered into the canal.

“Something needs to be done or they’ll be more and more catastrophes.”

A spokesman for Cheshire East Council said: “The councillors were issued a plan recently of A533 Booth Lane with the proposal to replace the existing 40mph speed limit with 30 mph, effectively extending the 30 out from the town centre.

“This now ends with the national speed limit however they still want a 'buffer' speed limit between these two, this being to extend the 40 mph out from the new 30 mph section.

“This will be reassessed with the engineers and reported back to the councillors in due course.”