A CHESHIRE road named as the third best road in the world for motorists to drive is 'another accident waiting to happen' according to one of its residents.

The six mile stretch A535, between Holmes Chapel to Alderley Edge, which was named as the top road in a survey by car firm Avis, was also named the best in the UK for drivers testing their skills while taking in the stunning views.

The road twists and undulates before opening into a mile-long stretch in the middle of the countryside, and passes the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank.

And while it was given the thumbs up by one professional driver, it was given the thumbs down by a campaigner who fought along with local residents to have the speed limit reduced after a number of deaths and serious accidents along the stretch.

Cheshire racing professional Oliver Webb said: "It's a great road, which actually is a test route. I've driven it a few thousand times probably."

Asked what challenges it presented for all drivers, he explained: "The A535 has a perfect mix of corners for all driving abilities and cars. It also passes two old homes I used to live in, and towards where I currently live, so driving it has a special meaning in many ways.

"There are some great dips and tight blind corners, hard to navigate in one sense but satisfying to drive at any pace."

He added: "It's not the longest route in the world but not too busy either so it's great for bikers and cars alike. Freedom to go back and forth with a roundabout each end plus some long straights make it a great all round road.

Campaigner Bernard Tuck said many of the people living along the stretch had a similar feel for the road but in recent years it had been faced with the addition of heavy trucks on a rapidly deteriorating road surface.

He said: "Maybe 20 years ago, I might have been considered it the finest road for drivers when there were no speed restrictions.

"The road is very scenic, but the major problem is the lack of funding to keep it in good condition and drivers often having to swerve around potholes."

Mr Tuck said that since it had become a feeder road for HGV's to and from the M6, the problems had increased.

He added: "There have been quite a number of serious accidents and others that have gone unreported where drivers have spun off on one of the many bends. And one of the ongoing problems is that because of the width of the road, police are unable to monitor the speed of vehicles using it. I would like to see static speed cameras.

"My major concern is speeding traffic during rush hour along the narrow Bridge Lane, near Jodrell Bank, where it is very tight, and it is in my opinion, only a matter of time before there is another fatal accident."

The best road for drivers was deemed to be Portugal's N-222, a 28 kilometre stretch between Peso de Regua to Pinhao in Portugal that runs through the Douro Valley. The second best road in the world was Highway 1, from Castroville to Big Sur, in California.