Driver who miraculously escaped death in a horrific crash at a blackspot Harborough junction is backing the fight to improve it

A driver who miraculously escaped death in a horrific crash at a blackspot Market Harborough junction is backing the fight to improve it.

Trevor Goodwin, 66, was dramatically flown to hospital by air ambulance after the smash at the Kettering Road turn on to the A6 on the southern edge of Market Harborough.

The courageous dad-of-two won an epic battle for his life after suffering multiple critical injuries in the terrifying 60mph collision.

Now Trevor, of Rothwell, is throwing his weight behind a new campaign calling for urgent action to make the notorious Clack Hill junction safer.

“We have to act now before somebody gets killed there.

“It’s a miracle that nobody’s died there already – and it could easily have been me,” Trevor told the Harborough Mail.

“My friends and neighbours actually call that my junction now following the terrible accident I had there!

“It’s shocking how many crashes we’ve had at that blackspot over the years – a whole string of them.

“I decided it was high time to speak out and add my voice to the growing debate after a young woman flipped over there in a Fiat 500 the other week.

“The only solution to stop this carnage is a new roundabout – and it’s got to be put in as soon as possible.”

The retired newspaper print manager vividly recalled his own brush with death at the A6 junction at the top of Kettering Road.

“I’d been babysitting for my daughter Victoria in Hilltop Close at the top of Lubenham Hill in Market Harborough.

“I said I’d see her in a couple of weeks as I was off on holiday as I left.

“That was on September 6, 2016.

“And that’s just about the last thing I remember that night,” remembered Trevor, who was driving a Ford Mondeo hatchback.

“Apparently I pulled out to turn right from Little Bowden on to the A6 at about 8pm and was hit by a Volkswagen Transporter van travelling at 60mph.

“I can only assume that they were in my blind spot otherwise I obviously wouldn’t have moved out.

“He was right on top of me, seriously reducing the impact, or I would have been dead.

“It took firefighters two hours to cut me out.

“The air ambulance rushed me to Coventry University Hospital where I was put in an induced coma for four days.

“I had emergency blood transfusions and I suffered 23 fractures, 16 in my right hand side rib cage, shoulder, collar bone, hip and pelvis.

“I also sustained a dislocated hip, bruised oesophagus liver and pancreas.

“Doctor after doctor were amazed that I survived.

“I can only pay a heartfelt tribute to the medics, fire crews and air ambulance team who brought me back from the brink.”

The grandad-of-two said he was in hospital for three months as he underwent an intensive care programme after the shattering smash.

“I spent a month in hospital in Coventry, another four weeks at Kettering General and a further month in Beechwood rehabilitation unit at Wellingborough.

“I only survived to tell the tale because the other vehicle was so close to me and I was fit and strong,” said Trevor.

“I used to go to the gym three times a week focusing on upper body and core stability exercises – and they did the trick.”

Trevor’s now urging people to sign a petition launched by worried local man James Towson, 21, demanding the junction be made safer.

“The county council has to act now.

“I was almost killed in good visibility when it was still light.

“Sooner rather than later someone will get killed there – and a family will be devastated,” insisted Trevor.

“I know that there’s talk of a new roundabout being installed there at some point in future as the new housing estate is being built off Kettering Road.

“But we need to set it up now – not years down the line.”

You can join the fight for action by signing James’s petition here:

https://www.change.org/KetteringRoadA6BlackSpot

And you can read all about James’s battle to defuse the A6 junction blackspot timebomb here:

https://www.harboroughmail.co.uk/news/people/petition-launched-safety-measures-accident-blackspot-edge-harborough-2892268

Cllr Trevor Pendleton, Leicestershire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, told the Mail: "We’re aware of the petition calling for a review on the A6.

“We’ve been carefully assessing the details of accident data from the location over a period of time and we continue to evaluate if there are measures which could be introduced.”

He added: “The council also has to consider that the junction is being changed to a roundabout in due course as part of a housing development.

“We don’t, at this stage, have a timescale for the work to start on the roundabout.”