DRIVE DOWN THE DEATH TOLL: A BEREAVED couple whose son died on the A36 are backing the Wiltshire Times Drive Down The Death Toll campaign.

Philip and Wanda Terry, of North Row, Warminster, have appealed for improvements to the road and for drivers to slow down.

Christopher Terry, 42, died in June 1992, after a crash at the notorious Knook Camp junction, just south of Warminster. His bicycle collided head-on with a car at the accident blackspot.

Mr Terry was a landscape gardener whose hobby was visiting churches on his bike. His mother described how he loved travelling and had spent the year before he died living with his sister in Australia.

The couple, who have lived in Warminster since 1953, said accidents on the A36 were a long running problem. Mrs Terry said: "I would never wish this on anyone, even my worst enemy.

"It was devastating to lose our son.

"I think it is a very good idea for the Wiltshire Times to do this campaign. When we lost Chris there were not so many deaths on the road as there are now.

"People drive so much faster these days. There has been too much individual suffering for what could be avoided.

"People drive too fast for such a poor road. There is too much unnecessary tragedy and sorrow.

"We don't want revenge, what's done is done. We never go along that road now, it has too many bad memories."

The couple say sections

of the A36, such as the stretch between Codford

and Heytesbury, need to be widened to prevent more accidents. Mr Terry, a former head of art at Warminster School, said in some places motorists had very little margin for error.

He said: "In places the road is too narrow to see far ahead. The driver would have seen Chris if the road had been wider."

The couple have a strong message for drivers currently using the road.

Mrs Terry said: "Pay attention, keep your eyes on the road and don't go so fast. I don't think people should fuss about getting there too fast."

Mr Terry added: "In recent months there seems to be a habit of people speeding on the road. If everyone is going fast you don't notice you are too.

"Driving is a lot faster now than it was before.

"There are some quite fast stretches and drivers just carry on speeding after these."