Traffic officers call for restrictions near Telford school
Parking restrictions or an advisory 20mph zone could be imposed near a Telford primary school, if traffic officers’ recommendations are followed.
A report by Telford and Wrekin Council investigated traffic on Brookside Avenue, Brookside, including the area around Holmer Lake Primary School, in response to concerns vehicles were exceeding the 30mph limit.
Stirchley and Brookside Parish Council voted to back the recommendations in principle but requested further meetings with the borough’s highways department.
But some members pointed out that speed figures quoted in the report might be misleading. A public consultation will follow.
Compliance
Brookside Avenue is a loop just under two miles in length encircling Windmill Primary School and the Brookside shopping area and with the 250-pupil Holmer Lake Primary at its east side.
The highways officers’ briefing paper reads: “It has been requested that a study is undertaken with a view to implementing engineering measures to encourage compliance with a 30mph speed limit.
“There were nine injury collisions reported to West Mercia Police in the five-year period to the end of December 2018.
“Seven were recorded as slight, one serious and one fatal.
Cluster
“The causation factors are random in nature, cannot be linked and were not recorded as speed-related. There are no clear cluster sites recorded.”
“Automated traffic count” equipment was used at three points on Brookside Avenue during October, and the report says it found drivers generally complied with the 30mph speed limit.
But Councillor Jim Loveridge said: “These figures for the speed were taken with people knowing they were being recorded.
“As long as the monitor is showing, they are going to slow down.”
