THE sister of a plasterer who fatally crashed on his birthday is 'horrified' by a council's refusal to reassess speed limit where he died.

Patricia Bowers has spent the past two months mourning for her beloved brother Wayne Curran, 37, who veered into a ditch on the A4074 Oxford Road near Dorchester – a stretch of road that she deemed 'lethal'.

The 52-year-old mother-of-two said: "People come down there like lunatics. The only thing that will make a difference is speed cameras and a lower limit. It's too fast, the speed there should be nothing more than 50mph.

"People aren't going to listen unless it costs them through their pocket."

But Oxfordshire County Council spokesman Martin Crabtree said the 60mph speed limit was last reviewed in 2011 and there were 'no plans to review it further at present'.

Mrs Bowers, who lives in Warborough, said: "I am absolutely horrified by that. The council is being irresponsible.

"The road is also too wide and there is nothing to stop people overtaking - there should be a central reservation or at least a 'no overtaking' sign."

Wallingford resident Mr Curran was pronounced dead at the roadside on July 31 after a driver spotted a smashed-up Renault Clio at 7am, though Mrs Bowers was told he may have crashed during the night.

His family will not know details until his inquest on January 24.

Mrs Bowers said: "We don't know if Wayne was speeding, there could have been a deer in the road or anything. But if he had been, and had killed someone that night, the family would have to live with that – it would have been unbearable. If he had caused someone else's devastation, we could not live with that guilt on our conscience."

Bracknell biker Christian Cloete, 26, died on May 2 close to where Mr Curran did, after crashing with another motorcyclist.

Mrs Bowers urged drivers to stay safe, adding: "With anyone who speeds there is the possibility of killing an innocent person – you have to take responsibility."

Last year the county council reduced the speed limit to 40mph on a 700 metre stretch of the road through Berinsfield Roundabout.

South Oxfordshire District Council announced this week that it is fast-tracking plans to install a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing within the 40mph zone near laybys, following consultation with Berinsfield residents.

Mrs Bowers feared the crossing 'will not make a blind bit of difference' and said the council's money would be better-spent on speed cameras.

A spokesperson for the district council said residents had 'frequently' called for the crossing to help them safely walk to bus stops.