A town council is to throw its weight behind calls for an A38 bypass in the wake of a tragic crash in which a mum and her son were killed.

Saltash Town Council is to write to the Secretary of State for Transport calling for a bypass at Landrake.

The council will be copying the call to MP Sheryll Murray, Cornwall Council and Highways England, who are responsible for the A38 because it is a trunk road.

The busy main route has dual- and single-carriageway sections as it goes from the Tamar Bridge to Trerulefoot, through the middle of the villages of Landrake and Tideford.

The action is being taken after a debate at Saltash Town Council’s August meeting, in which Councillor John Brady said many people were distraught over the accident on July 9 at Landrake.

Laura Hopes, 32, and her son Alfie, six, from Latchbrook, Saltash and Anthony Woodman, 53, of Stonehouse in Plymouth all lost their lives. Laura’s son Tommy, four, was badly injured.

Cllr Brady said: ‘Obviously investigators need to complete their enquiries, but this is not kneejerk reaction.

‘Is it not now time to re-open and push for the much-needed bypass at Landrake?

‘The death of a lollipop lady 20-plus years ago resulted in the bridge going over the road but with the continuous increase in road traffic we now need a by-pass which should have been actioned years ago.’

Armand Toms, a Cornwall Councillor for Looe, has already called for public money to be focused on the A38 rather than the A30 in the wake of the tragedy.