Housing developments in and around our villages have increased traffic flows, and evidence from active Community Speed Watch groups justifies an expansion of traffic calming measures.
Speeding is blighting villages up and down the country and is a concern frequently raised by residents. Despite all the hard work of volunteers to raise awareness there’s sadly no overall improvement; checks at various times and locations over the past few years show that speeding remains a serious issue.
Road safety is integral to community safety, and I think we should work across our villages to influence key stakeholders - including Central Bedfordshire Council and Bedfordshire Police - to allocate additional investment in traffic calming and road safety schemes.
Why this is important
We're seeing an increase in vehicles speeding through our villages, putting themselves, other motorists and other road users such as horse riders and cyclists at risk of serious injury or death.
I’m calling for additional traffic calming measures at rural “hot spots” before - not after - there’s a serious accident, and swifter improvements to the more significant identified potholes and road surface issues.
It’s obvious to most of us who live by and regularly use our village roads that additional traffic calming measures are desperately needed.
But if we’re to benefit from limited funds, we need to call for measures in specific locations that address identifiable problems.
We need to campaign for change that has the best chance of mitigating the most significant risks.
How you can help
- Please let me know if:
- you would like to join a campaign group to influence change.
- you have information about particular road safety “hot spots” in your area.
- Join a local Community Speed Watch group by emailing the police co-ordinator, [email protected]. More information is available here. The more active Speed Watch groups are, the more data we'll have to justify change!
- The Bedfordshire Road Safety Partnership make available free young driver training at Millbrook Proving Ground, which you could promote to young non-drivers.
