A mother struck by a car while carrying her 12-month old daughter outside her house is calling for a 15mph speed restriction on a dangerous bend in Marcham, near Abingdon.

Jackie King with her daughters at the spot

Jackie King, who lives in Packhorse Lane, said: "Luckily neither I nor Mia was hurt, but the incident highlights the dangers of this road particularly on the bend.

"This section of road is getting worse and worse as the months go on. The speed of vehicles is not acceptable.

"Many drivers pay no attention whatsoever that this is a village location. There is a sign -- although not that clear -- before entering the village that adults and children may be walking on the road, but most drivers seem to ignore it.

"Something must be done to slow down traffic. It should really be no more than 15mph through these dangerous bends."

Earlier this year the house Miss King, 36, shares with her partner Robert Waldram was hit by a car and damaged. She has another daughter Lily aged two.

Her concern is for the five children who are under four years of age, the elderly and a newly pregnant mother, all of whom live on the stretch of road.

Miss King's experience and call for improved safety measures along the main A415 Abingdon-Witney road is another chapter in the long-running saga of a planned bypass for Marcham, which has been going on for 70 years.

The latest plans to take traffic on a two-mile bypass south of the village have been drawn up by Oxfordshire County Council and are ready to go -- but the £5m scheme has to win the approval of the Department for Transport. A decision is expected next spring.

Miss King said: "Something very serious will happen one day. I cannot understand why things take so long to sort out with such an obviously dangerous situation. Is it really going to have to take a nasty or fatal accident for something to be done?"

Marcham Parish Council, MP Ed Vaizey and county councillor Iain Brown, have renewed calls for bypass.

The MP has written to the Transport Secretary Alistair Darling calling for the bypass to be built, and said he would be writing another letter to Mr Darling about Mrs King's experience.

Mr Vaizey said: "The incident involving Mrs King brings home the dangers to people who live on this busy road. Marcham needs a bypass now.

"I will be working closely with county councillor Iain Brown to put pressure on the county to see what further measures can be taken."

A new speed-activated 30mph sign that flashes when a vehicle exceeds the limit has been installed opposite Church Street and another is being considered for the Abingdon end of the village.