Speed cameras have been activated on a stretch of road that claimed the life of a councillor's teenaged son.

The cameras went live last week on Cowley Road, Cowley, following an 11-year campaign by cabinet member for planning and transportation, Councillor Keith Burrows (Con).

Coincidentally, the initiative has been launched within days of the anniversary of his son David's death.

Mr Burrows said: "This has been a campaign for 11 years to make the road where David died safe. I feel it's a personal victory for me in memory of David, because that's the reason I've done it. The fact that it's near the anniversary is even more poignant."

Uxbridge High pupil David was 15 when he was struck by a speeding car near Packet Boat Lane on June 10, 1997. Described to the Gazette last year as 'not just a son, a best friend', the cricket and football enthusiast's death left the family devastated.

Shortly after the tragedy Mr Burrows began to campaign for better safety along the road and became a councillor in 2002.

In 2004 the 46-year-old councillor witnessed another death on the same stretch of road before taking up his position as cabinet member for planning and transportation in October 2005.

He said: "The residents who live near where the cameras have been put up have said for the first time they've been able to have a restful night's sleep without hearing the screeching of brakes and cars whizzing past."

Cars are now limited to 30mph, with signs along the road warning drivers there are cameras.

Mr Burrows said: "Drivers shouldn't be speeding down that road and there's plenty of warning. It's already started to have the affect we wanted. Cowley Road was more personal than the council, but the whole borough, as far as I'm concerned, is just as important."

Mr Burrows marked the anniversary of his son's death yeaterday (Tuesday) by laying flowers, with his family, at the cemetery. David would have turned 26 this year.

Mr Burrows added: "I think he'd be proud that I haven't let it go. There was a part of me that thought nothing was going to be done, but I wasn't prepared to let it go. I wouldn't want any family to go through what we had to.

"He's in our thoughts every single day."