A DRIVER in his 70s died following a crash with a lorry on the A346 near Marlborough.

It came just days before workmen started installing new signs in a bid to improve road safety.

The Suzuki car, whose driver has not yet been identified by police, burst into flames after colliding with the HGW owned by logistics operator GBA Services at the base of at Port Hill shortly before 11am on Sunday.

A police spokesman said: “Sadly, the driver of the car, a man in his 70s, was pronounced dead at the scene. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.”

The crash was the fourth in as many weeks on the stretch of road between Marlborough and Ogbourne St George.

Villagers had already handed Wiltshire Highways a 500-name petition calling for road safety measures, after they began lobbying over a year ago to improve safety on the A346 in the Ogbourne St George and Hallam areas.

Council contractors were out on the road this week to install around 19 new and replacement signs, and they have also been briefed to paint ‘slow’ road markings on the road surface in the hope of slowing motorists down.

Campaigner Rachel Inglefield said: “This is great news to see that work is starting to make this stretch of road safer.”

“It is a good start, but this road is so fast.

"I think a wider conversation needs to happen to reassess the speed limits on A-roads around Marlborough.

"Wiltshire Council has been fabulous to us, but maybe they could use their authority to lobby for a review of speed limits with the Highways Agency.”

The A346 is recognised locally as a notoriously dangerous road, particularly at the point where the Ridgeway crosses it, although it has not been designated by the council as an accident blackspot.

The 50mph speed restriction is lifted to the national speed limit just south of the Hallam turn.

“Reviewing the physical features of the road with a view to engineering any changes that will encourage drivers to slow down is a good thing,” said Ogbourne parish councillor Bob Tanner.

“These roads were given speed limits years ago, but road usage has changed considerably since then.

“We have a lot of huge lorries using this road, and a lot more cars.”

Police are looking for witnesses to Sunday’s accident, which closed the A346 in both directions between Marlborough and Chiseldon for several hours.

All three emergency services and the Wiltshire Air Ambulance was called to the scene at Ogbourne Maizey.

The crash took place between Marlborough Golf Club and Rockley Road. Witnesses to the collision are asked to call 101.