Councillors to tackle 'near misses' and speeding in Bridgnorth
Councillors are working to make the roads safer in a Shropshire town following "multiple near misses" and speeding vehicles.
Bridgnorth is set to soon have a voluntary speed watch group conducting checks at various hotspots throughout the town.
Organised by East ward representative, Councillor Julia Buckley, the group of six are to undergo training from the Community Speedwatch scheme before first setting up monitoring devices on Victoria Road.
Meanwhile, various safety checks and inspections are due to be completed at the pedestrian crossing on Ludlow Road.
Councillors Les Winwood and Elliott Lynch, who represent Bridgnorth West & Tasley, received complaints about the speed of traffic in the area, and instigated a visibility check from Graham Downs, the head of highways at Shropshire Council, and a traffic light check from a council engineer.
The pair confirmed the police would also be made aware of complaints and the need for traffic calming measures.
Councillor Buckley said: "Victoria Road is a main arterial route into the town which leads to three schools on Innage Lane and one of only two access roads that reach St Leonard's Primary, St John's Primary and Bridgnorth Endowed School – so more than 1,000 children and families access those schools twice a day.
"This also leads to many cars speeding along to get there in time before work.
"The road is a traditional Victorian road with a narrow street and on-street parking, so it leads to frustrated drivers who then speed up to get on their way.
"There is a real concern that children, young people and families could get involved in a traffic accident when trying to walk to school, with the speeding traffic."
Councillors Winwood and Lynch added: "Following complaints from parents, we met on site on the Ludlow Road pedestrian crossing to see for ourselves the issues raised by local residents of multiple near misses involving vehicles and pedestrians due to traffic travelling far too quickly from the bypass island to the crossing, and in the opposite direction coming from town with traffic travelling well over the speed limit.
"We witnessed for ourselves that traffic was travelling far too fast on approach to the pedestrian crossing."
Anyone who would like to get involved with the Community Speedwatch can contact Councillor Julia Buckley at juliabuckleylabour@gmail.com
