Safety work for canal crash road

The canal is 2ft from the roadside

A Derbyshire road where a car with a mother and baby inside crashed into a canal is to get new safety markings.

The 13-month-old was rescued by a passer-by after the vehicle went into the water next to Deep Dale Lane, near Barrow-in-Trent, in April.

Residents and drivers said traffic on the narrow road was travelling too fast and a barrier needed to be installed.

Derbyshire County Council said it would put up new warning signs, change road markings and look at other measures.

The spot, where the canal comes within 2ft of the road, has seen a number of crashes over the years.

Crash questions

Officials have confirmed they are installing new speed and bend warning signs in both directions and will put chevrons on the bend near the canal.

Safety officers will also conduct feasibility studies for larger scale measures such as a barrier or widening the road.

A Derbyshire County Council spokesman said any major changes to the road would have to be considered carefully.

"Placing a barrier at the site is not a simple process as the canal embankment may not be wide enough or secure enough to secure one without narrowing the road," he said.

"We will also need to liaise with British Waterways to get its agreement on any structures directly adjacent to the canal.

"We're still waiting to find out the exact details of how the latest accident took place and this will need to be taken into consideration."