A businessman who could have died in a serious collision on the A10 has urged the council to maintain roadside verges after he said overgrown vegetation and grass obstructed his view.

Ashok Gupta, was on his way to a meeting in Chelmsford when he was involved in a collision at the junction with Stretham Station Road.

He said: “I was joining the A10 from the direction of Witchford and, despite stopping and carefully scrutinising my path ahead, failed to notice an oncoming car to my right, travelling at 55mph, as reported by the other driver to the police at the accident site.

“For the crucial seconds that really mattered the other car was hidden from view by the very tall grass and vegetation that the local council had failed to cut down.

“I use this road and junction frequently and am very conscious of the huge danger posed by this negligence on the part of the council.

“The previous day at that spot I had pointed out to my partner the huge danger posed by this state of affairs - not realising that the very next day the other driver and I would suffer serious consequences.

“Both of us suffered injuries and the cars appear to be write-offs. It is just sheer good fortune that we survived.

“At the accident site I pointed out to the policeman who attended, the state of the overgrown vegetation and he agreed and stated that he would contact the council to cut the grass.”

A couple of hours later when his partner used the same junction to collect him from Addenbrooks, where he was taken strapped in an ambulance with severe whiplash injuries, the vegetation on either side of the road, about six feet high, had been flattened rather than cut down.

Mr Gupta, of Wimblington, said: “We are aware that the councils are struggling with cuts, but does it need a few deaths or serious injuries for them to realise the huge risks that they are posing to the people they are meant to serve?

“I feel it is only a matter of time before there are further serious incidents and I would like to elicit your help to bring this serious situation to the notice of the council and, to the public, a caution to be more vigilant until the council does decide to get its act together.”

The collision happened on the A10 near Stretham on Monday (27) morning which resulted in two vehicles being written off.

The two cars involved were a Ford Fiesta in red,and a Volvo S60 in silver.

The Volvo initially caught fire and the Highways Agency attended to deal with the issue of diesel on the road.