Speed limit being flouted (From Gazette Series)

Speed limit being flouted

NEARLY 70 percent of vehicles entering Kingswood from Wickwar at peak times are breaking the speed limit it was revealed to members of Kingswood Parish Council on Monday.

Gloucestershire County Council's transport department carried out speed checks on Wickwar Road following a request from the parish council.

The highest speeds recorded were taken outside 31 Wickwar Road on Monday, September 6.

Figures show 69 percent of traffic (78 out of 113 cars) entering the village and 67 percent of traffic (75 out of 111 cars) heading out of the village during peak times were breaking the 30mph speed limit.

During off peak times the amount of vehicles exceeding the speed limit dropped to 61.2 percent going towards the village and 56.7 percent leaving the village.

Vehicle speeds dropped when further checks were taken outside 15 Wickwar Road.

During peak times, 12 percent of vehicles entering the village and 12.4 percent of vehicles leaving the village were breaking the speed limit. During off peak times at the same point, no cars were breaking the limit heading towards the village, but 21.2 percent of cars leaving the village were recorded over 30mph.

Fears have been growing over speeding through the village and for a long time residents have wanted action taken. Earlier this year, a group of residents borrowed a vehicle activated sign from the Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership to warn drivers exceeding the limit to slow down.

At the meeting, councillors agreed to ask the county council for further checks to be made so more evidence could be gathered, with the hope of having vehicle activated signs erected.

Cllr Norman Ward said: "I still feel we owe it to the residents of the village to be seen doing something about it. Manned checks don't work - we need unmanned checks. We have very angry residents who are not going to go to sleep on this.

It is only going to take one child to be knocked down before this all kicks off. It is not just one section of road that is the problem. I know that vehicles in the early hours of the day are reaching high speeds. I think we need more evidence."

Chairman of the council, Cllr Paul Hemming said: "At peak times it is nearly 70 percent of traffic going both ways that is breaking the speed limit. We can go back and ask for further checks. They could do more monitoring. I know cars move very quickly down that part of the road."