Tragedy prompts crash victim’s 
plea for more safety measures

Mother of two Leanne Bowman, 33, and 27-year-old James Coleman died after the car they were travelling in was involved in a head-on collision with a lorry on Middleton Grove, Beeston, on Saturday, September 20.

Another man, 20-year-old Jai Coleman, remains in hospitalwith serious injuries.

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

But Donna Young-Joynson, from Belle Isle, who was involved in a crash at the same spot, said action was needed to prevent further tragedies.

She said she cried when she heard about the deaths of Miss Bowman and Mr Coleman, adding: “My heart goes out to the friends and families of the recent casualties involved in yet another accident on that same stretch of road and I fully support the idea of traffic calming measures, hopefully preventing any further devastation.”

Mrs Young-Joyson, 36, was travelling with her husband, Mark and their baby daughter, Alyssa, when their car was hit by a speeding driver in November 2012.

She estimated that the car was travelling at about 80mph when it lost control as it came towards them in the direction of Dewsbury Road.

Despite her husband’s attempts to avoid the collision, the car hit the driver’s side of his car.

The driver was given nine points and fined £180. But Mrs Young-Joynson said the incident has left her with ongoing health problems.

“I didn’t drive for a long time afterwards. Even now, if I hear the roar of an engine I get butterflies,” she said.

Community activist Jeremy Morton, who lives in Beeston, believes there is a wider problem with irresponsible driving in the area and supports the idea of 20mph zones in residential areas.

A Leeds City Council spokeswoman said road markings were changed to improve safety. She added: “Any further action will be guided by the outcome of the police investigation into the fatal crash, when the full circumstances are made known.”