Somebody is going to get mown down in our village (From Worcester News)

Somebody is going to get mown down in our village

3:30pm Friday 12th March 2010 in

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SPEEDING drivers regularly come close to mowing down pedestrians in a village but speed signs warning them of the danger are too expensive, say parish councillors.

Concerns were raised about motorists who continue to ignore the 30mph speed limit in Kempsey, near Worcester, as well as an overgrown hedge at the junction of Brookend Lane and Main Road which forces pedestrians to walk on the road.

Both issues were raised at a meeting of Kempsey Parish Council by Councillor Melody Baker, who said: “You often get nearly mown down.”

She asked for the parish council to look into the possibility of flashing signs to warn motorists of the 30mph speed limit.

But Councillor Ken Blackwell said: “You’re talking megabucks. We don’t have that sort of money.”

He was also against the yellow signs reminding drivers to obey the speed limit in the neighbouring village of Severn Stoke which were criticised at the last meeting by Worcestershire county councillor for Croome Bob Bullock, who said they would damage the character of the village.

But Ms Baker said the idea of the flashing signs which display a driver’s speed as they enter the village, rather than the yellow signs, would be supported by many parishioners concerned ab-out motorists ignoring the speed limit.

She said: “If we have a chance to do something, we want to do it. Other villages have got these signs. Why can’t we have them?”

It was not clear from the meeting whose responsibility it was to cut back the hedge and further talks are needed between Kempsey Parish Council, Malvern Hills Dis-trict Council and the highways department at Worcestershire County Council.

Kempsey parish councillor David Harrison said: “It’s an accident waiting to happen. The hedge also causes damage to coaches and to agricultural equipment every time they go past. I don’t think we can do anything until we get all parties together. I’m not prepared to speculate on who owns the hedgerow.”

The village has also been affected by roadworks to replace gas mains which began on Wednesday, January 20, and are scheduled to finish on Thursday. Work is still continuing on the junction of Post Office Lane and Main Road with three-lane traffic lights at the junction.

Your Worcester News was the only member of the media to attend this meeting.