A REVIEW of traffic claiming measures is under way on a street where a 12-year-old girl was knocked down by a car which had an asylum seeker banned from driving behind the wheel.

Blackburn with Darwen Council announced its move just a week after the inquest into the death Amy Houston recorded a verdict of accident death.

At the hearing, coroner Michael Singleton said he would be writing to the council about parking around the traffic-calming measures in Newfield Drive, Blackburn - including build-outs of the pavement - which had been parked on and around by residents. Mr Singleton said that the arrangement had meant that drivers would have little chance of seeing people walking out into the road off the build-out, and lulled pedestrians into a false sense of security that it was safe to cross there.

Amy, of Ravenglass Close, Fishmoor, had run out between parked cars and was hit by the car, driven by Aso Mohammed Ibrahim, a failed asylum seeker who had been disqualified from driving in the UK.

Amy's dad, Paul Houston, of Russia Street, Accrington, said: "I don't understand why Newfield Drive doesn't have a 20mph speed limit when the rest of the estate does.

"Fishmoor Drive has the same type of traffic-calming measures but it has a 20mph speed limit. People know to drive more slowly there.

"I am pleased the council is reviewed Newfield Drive because it might mean something good comes from Amy's death but why did it have to take a death for something to happen?"

Amy, a pupil at Our Lady and St John's High School, died last November. Ibrahim was convicted of driving while disqualified, without insurance and for failing to stop after an accident. He attempted to attend Amy's inquest last week but was sent away by police.

Mr Houston is now campaigning for a new law, which treats being involved in an accident where someone dies while driving disqualified as manslaughter.

Coun Andy Kay, executive member for regeneration, said: "At this stage it is difficult to establish if this will involve a reduction in the speed limit, but clearly this is an issue which will be investigated as part of the measures.

"Once the measures have been introduced, the possibility of a further serious injury accident along this road will be greatly reduced."