An MSP is calling on the Scottish and Westminster governments to tackle road deaths caused by diesel spillages.

Brian Adam, SNP MSP, who has backed previous campaigns to try to reduce diesel spills, says he wants ministers north and south of the border to come up with measures to help prevent diesel spill accidents which account for an average of two people killed or seriously injured every week on UK roads.

His intervention comes in the wake of the deaths of a young mother and her two children last week. The focus of the investigation into the death of Ann Copeland, 45, and her daughters Niamh, 10, and Ciara, seven, is on a possible spillage.

They died when their car was involved in a collision on a bend on the A92 as Mrs Copeland drove her daughters from their home in Johnshaven to school in Montrose.

Last night Mr Adam pledged to raise the matter again following these "untimely deaths".

He said: "I will encourage the Transport Minister to engage with his Westminster colleagues to see what steps can be taken to minimise diesel spillages."

Today, exactly a week after the tragedy, police will be stopping motorists at the scene asking if they saw anything spilling from a vehicle or anything on the road before the crash.

Inspector Ian Kirkwood said they had had a good response from the public to their appeals for information. But he added: "There may be people who are unaware of our appeal or have not contacted us. They may well have seen something which could help us establish the cause of this terrible collision.

"We want to know if they saw anything spilling or dropping from a vehicle. We are now confident we know between what times the contamination we found on the roadway occurred. Various inquiries are continuing, including the analysis of the substance to establish its identity."