FRIENDS of a Suffolk teenager killed in a car accident last month have mounted a campaign to improve safety on the notorious stretch of Foxhall Road.

FRIENDS of a Suffolk teenager killed in a car accident last month have mounted a campaign to improve safety on the notorious stretch of Foxhall Road.

Sophie Underwood, 18, died on November 13 following a crash on the road she lived on, just minutes from her front door.

Devastated by the news of her friend's death, Harriet Atkinson, 18, of Needham Market, decided with a group of friends to contact her councillor concerning the condition of the road.

The investigation into the crash is still ongoing and it is not yet known what caused the accident or whether speed was a factor.

Miss Atkinson felt so strongly about the danger to motorists on Foxhall Road that she chose to fight for restrictions to be put in place.

She said: “I will do anything to ensure the speed limit is reduced in the area and improve the road conditions to make it safe.

“Our councillor, Julia Truelove, said that she is really interested in helping us and she has forwarded my e-mail to the highways department and the police.”

The accident happened near the waste and recycling centre on a stretch of road that has become notorious for accidents.

Two other people involved in the crash were cut from their cars by firefighters and taken to Ipswich Hospital.

Miss Atkinson was among mourners at Ipswich Crematorium for Sophie's funeral and paid tribute to her friend.

She said: “My friends and I are truly devastated. She was full of life and always smiling. It is so unfair that she lost her life through such tragic means.”

A spokeswoman for Suffolk County Council said they were aware of concerns about the road, especially those from the friends of Sophie Underwood, but no firm plans could be made for changes at present.

She said: “The police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident, and once they are known our engineers will study what they have to say.

“Whenever members of the public raise concerns about a road, our staff look into those concerns and we shall of course look at what happened in this tragic case.

“Our staff have been in touch with Julia Truelove and we shall certainly look to see if anything can be done in the light of the police investigation.”

N What safety improvements need to be made to Foxhall Road? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk