A HIT-AND-RUN incident on a dangerous stretch of road has come as little surprise to its residents.

A 56-year-old local woman was struck by a car that drove off without stopping last night (Wednesday) in Epping New Road, Buckhurst Hill, and remains in a serious condition in hospital.

The incident is only the latest in a long series of crashes along the road- a number of them fatal.

It occurred at a road traffic island just down from the home of Luke Selby, 46, of Epping New Road.

He said: “We were watching the TV. My wife ran out and there were ambulances and police cars everywhere. They tied the thing on our gates to shut the road off. I didn't look myself.

“It happens too often round here. There's no end of accidents -normally one or two a year. They brought the speed limit down to 30mph and it did nothing. There's not a car that goes down here doing 30.

“Whether the speed limit is 70 or 30 it's not going to make any difference. It's a nice straight bit of road what can they do unless they put sleeping policemen all along the A-road?

“They'll probably end up putting speed cameras but it's not going to stop it.”

Neil Simpson, 56, of Fairland Avenue, Buckhurst Hill, also witnessed the aftermath of the crash.

He said: "I saw this flashing light and thought: 'What the hell's that?' and opened the curtains. I saw walked up the road and I thought I saw a couple of people in the road. The ambulance people were attending to them.”

The latest incident was no surprise to Mr Simpson- 18 months ago a car from Epping New Road crashed through his back garden fence.

He said: “I nearly spoke to the police while I was there to say: 'Do you realise how many accidents there are round here?' It's such a long straight road people just go for it. There was a fatality here six or seven years ago.

“I drive down every day and it's so easy to do 35, 40 and you don't realise it- it's such a straight road. I think they could put speed cameras in for a start. They need something here from Bancroft's School to the lights.”

Did you see the accident? Do you know the woman who was hurt? Call reporter Edmund Tobin on 07795 315 542.