A8 Larne crash prompts calls for safety barrier

Police are investigating the circumstances of the incident on Saturday evening, when a black BMW was involved in a single-vehicle collision on the dual carriageway near the junction at Church Way.

A PSNI spokesperson said the driver, a 25-year-old man, made off from the scene and was later arrested on suspicion of a number of motoring offences .

He was subsequently released on bail pending further enquiries.

One local resident told the Times that the vehicle had “lost control and rolled over” before coming to rest on a footpath at the side of the road.

He added that one of the car’s wheels had dislodged during the crash, travelled up a grass embankment and collided with a parked car on Kitchener’s Avenue, causing substantial damage.

DUP Councillor Rev Paul Reid told the Times: “What resulted on Saturday evening was total carnage, with two cars badly damaged.

“If the parked car had not been there to take the blow, the wheel could have potentially gone through a living room window or hurt an individual if they had been on footpath.”

Party colleague Alderman Councillor Gregg McKeen expressed safety concerns regarding the lack of crash barriers along this section of the dual carriageway.

He added: “There have been a number of road accidents in the vicinity resulting in cars mounting the footpath and being a hazard to pedestrians.”

The two elected representatives are now seeking an urgent meeting with Transport NI and PSNI, in a bid to secure more rigorous speed control an the erection of a crash barrier.

“Action must be taken now to prevent any potential loss of injury and possible loss of life,” Cllr Reid concluded.