VILLAGERS in the Vale of Evesham are so worried about speeding and heavy vehicles thundering past their houses, they are preparing to take matters into their own hands to get something done about it.

The residents of Norton don't want to wait until disaster strikes before the authorities take notice of their concerns.

They say those elected to represent them have failed to take up their cause so they are launching their own campaign.

And if their representations to the parish council and their local county councillor remain fruitless, they have their own plan to slow down traffic and make the Evesham bypass a more attractive prospect to through traffic.

The Norton Road Safety Campaign was launched two months ago by Keith Woodall. His wife, Karen, a midwife, had pointed out the arrival of a new family in the village and the difficulties of living on a major road with young children.

Keith thought it was time something was done about it.

There are now five core members of the campaign who have conducted a survey of all the residents living on Evesham Road. "We have visited about 100 households and a lot of people are really angry about the traffic. Some even want to move out of the village because of it. The road has in effect become a bypass for the bypass.

"At weekends it is like a motorcycle racetrack. We get riders doing wheelies up the road. A lot of lorries coming from the Redditch direction use the road and we've seen buses hurtling down.

"You cannot hold a conversation with someone if you are standing near the road because the noise is so loud and on Sunday the church bells are drowned out by the sound of the

motorbikes.

"Almost everyone we talked to has examples of near misses - whether it's of someone crossing the road, turning into their driveway off the road or cats getting run over."

Mr Woodall says the traffic problems could be the final nail in Norton's coffin. "I have spoken to a lot of older people and they are worried because we have lost the post office,

the shop, the playing field and other amenities. I think this is a significant factor in contributing to the demise of the village.

"This is an historic village with a lot of black and white properties but Norton will die a death if we are not careful."

The safety campaign members want traffic calming measures - such as a reduced speed limit from 40mph to 30mph, electronic signs telling motorists to slow down and police speed cameras - to cut vehicle speed and encourage many motorists to use the Evesham bypass.

"It is a disaster waiting to happen and the people representing us have not until now taken up the cause."

But the safety campaign members are determined to get some action before there is a serious or even fatal accident.

About 20 of them attended the parish council meeting last week to put over their points.

District and county councillor Clive Holt was present. He said after the meeting: "I advised the parish council to put it all in writing and I will contact the highways department to see what can be done."

Mr Woodall said: "If we don't get any action we intend to persist with this campaign and take measures of our own to raise awareness of this issue."

The campaigners have a trump card to play if all else fails - park their cars on the road instead of using their driveways.

"Traffic will have to slow down to get around them. If all else fails we will have to take things into our own hands," saidMr Woodall.