TUTSHILL residents are calling on the police and county council to take action against speeding drivers on a residential road after what they claim have been a number of near misses.
Tidenham parish councillor Nick Evans said: “A number of residents have complained to us about vehicles travelling at dangerous speeds on Gloucester Road, and a number of accidents have been narrowly avoided.
“A speed survey carried out on the road showed that vehicles are consistently travelling at nearly 10 miles per hour over the limit, even during the school-run, and residents tell us that speeds have increased since the survey was carried out.
“We need action on the speed of vehicles using this road urgently, before a serious accident happens. Drivers leave the 50mph zone on the A48 and are immediately brought into a residential area where people walk and children play. There is very little signage to warn drivers of the change, and I have had a number of residents asking me what can be done.
“The issue has certainly got worse in recent years, and I fear that the new housing developments on the edge of the village will only exacerbate the problem.”
The parish council resolved, at a meeting last Wednesday (February 8) to ask highways officers to consider measures such as illuminated speed signs, improved signage and changing the design of the road to reduce speeds and make it clearer to drivers that they are entering a residential area. They have also asked for more speed enforcement activity to be carried out by the police.
County councillor Patrick Molyneux (Con, Sedbury) said: “Speeding through the village is something we need to tackle. I will be working closely with highways officers to see what measures we can introduce to make the village safer for everybody.”
Tidenham Parish Council have also called for highways officers to resurface local roads and review whether Tutshill’s ‘magic roundabout’ can be removed and replaced with a more traditional arrangement. Currently, drivers are faced with two linked mini-roundabouts causing confusion to road-users.