A SOLUTION to the problem of Amersham Hill, High Wycombe, is as far away as ever, a month after a crash which killed two people.

Ideas to make the hill safer, including a 20mph speed limit, speed cameras, a crash barrier at the bottom of the hill, an escape lane and more warning signs have been put forward by councillors.

Rodney Royston, county cabinet member responsible for transport, said little can be done in the short term. He said he needed to know what had caused the accident first.

The hill has been the focus for safety improvements since June 14 when a lorry, laden with bricks, careered down it into Aitchisons estate agents in Easton Street, killing mothers Maggie Doel and Sally Jamieson. The lorry driver was later arrested but no charges have been brought against him and he remains on police bail.

John Dalton, Independent district councillor, wanted some sort of crash barrier at the kerb. Conservative Peter Cartwright said there should be more warnings to drivers to get into low gear and another escape route, in addition to the one at the top of the hill, and a barrier at the junction of Easton Street with Crendon Street.

He said: "A speed limit won't stop these accidents. But we need to act urgently and produce a result that will stop more tragedies It's not speed limits, it's stopping runaway vehicles."

Cllr Royston said a crash barrier in the road would be worse than no barrier: "I am told it would just catapult things forward."

He said in theory there should be an escape route further down the hill, but it was not really possible. "Wycombe's geography makes this a constant danger," he said.

Graham Spenceley, county council traffic and safety manager, said the problem with a 20mph speed limit was that it could not be put in without traffic calming to make sure vehicles kept to it.