Speeding motorists making life hell for villagers (From Worcester News)

Speeding motorists making life hell for villagers

10:50am Tuesday 7th September 2010 in

By David Paine » @davidpaineWN #worcsnews

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PETRIFIED residents of a village just outside Worcester are pleading for road safety measures to be implemented on a busy rural road before someone is killed.

Householders living on a 30mph section of Crown East Lane, Lower Broadheath, say problems with speeding traffic have been gradually getting worse – but nothing has been done about it despite repeated requests.

Small 30mph disc signs have become obscured by overgrown bushes and residents say it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed outside their homes because, they claim, vehicles regularly reach speeds up to 70mph.

Villager Mandy Hopkins said: “I have been here 47 years and it has just got worse and worse. My sister-in-law came up recently and got spun around by one vehicle. It’s diabolical. We are not safe. It’s a death trap.”

Neighbour Pete Spencer said he had witnessed several near misses and likened the road to a motorway. “It’s just crazy,” he said. “I have got two little toddlers and it scares the hell out of me.”

Sarah Littlewood, who has two children aged four months and two-and-a-half years, said she has been spat at by a driver while trying to get out of her driveway. “It’s scary,” she said.

Simon Middleweek, a former policeman, said the speeding vehicles create so much noise and vibration that they set car alarms off.

“It’s like a raceway,” he said. “It is a real danger. It’s making our lives a misery.”

A Worcestershire County Council spokesman urged residents to contact their local county councillor with their concerns and requests for traffic control and maintenance measures.

“In addition, the county council operates 12 portable electronic road signs – two per district – which are rotated between different locations,” she said. “Any resident who feels one of these signs would benefit their area should again contact their local councillor who will pass on their request for consideration.”

Mr Middleweek said over the last six years he has raised the issue with the parish council, West Mercia Police, West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership, West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin and county councillor Alwyn Davies but said nothing has been done.

Katy Jenkins, communications manager at West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership, said sites used to depend on speed and collision data but added that has now changed and also takes into consideration people’s quality of life.

She urged as many residents as possible to contact the partnership so a case – as part of the community concern scheme set up 12 months ago – could be put forward for road safety measures to be introduced on that section of road in the near future.

Comments(15)

pudniw_gib says...
1:39pm Tue 7 Sep 10

ha , it is probably biggles and the other advanced drivers showing off their advanced skills and proving that speed is ok, and this rd should be 60mph as no one has been killed.
All pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists should stay off the roads and leave it to the experts.
Come you petrol heads, start justifying it like you always do.