Steam Mills Community Speed Watch
Residents in Steam Mills perturbed by speeding traffic are taking matters into
their own hands by monitoring the speed of vehicles travelling through the village.
If you have driven through Steam Mills this week you may have seen locals in high visibility jackets using speed detectors. Steam Mills Community Speed Watch has been set up to highlight to motorists that the villagers appreciate careful driving.
During the past 5 years, over 200 Gloucestershire community groups have made use of the hand held radar speed detection guns. Although the community cannot prosecute those travelling above the speed limit, they are liaising with the police to identify problem areas and times.
Concerned mum, Kate Thorne, who is spearheading a campaign to reduce Steam Mills to 30mph said that most people were obeying the law; “We have found that the majority of people are abiding by the speed limit which is encouraging, however we would prefer people to drive through our community at 30mph. For a pedestrian, it would be the difference between life and death.”
Kate is in conversation with Gloucestershire County Council about the dangers of the road but whilst decisions are being considered the community will be trying to minimise speeds by introducing interesting street furniture. Coming soon you will find a range of scarecrows, models and signs aimed to intrigue drivers and squeeze the breaks.
To sign the petition to reduce Steam Mills to 30mph visit https://www.change.org/p/gloucestershire-highways-reduce-steam-mills-to-30mph
Fore more information and to register your community visit the Road Safety Team http://roadsafety-gloucestershire.org.uk
Reducing the speed through Steam Mills, will not work.
I myself have lived in the High street for 33 years,
and the last year and half 80% drive over 30 and young drivers are driving up and down the high street well into the early hours and they disturb the residents with their modified cars, they meet in the top part of the car park, at the skate park and the mess they leave and damage they do is terrible the police and council do nothing about it.
Hi J,
I’m sorry that you feel that the council and Police have not been responsive to the issues you describe. Could you let me know where your statistic of 80% comes from please as this does not tally with the latest figures provided to us by Gloucestershire County Council from their recent speed survey of the High Street and I would be keen to speak to them if there is contradicting evidence.
The Police have recently made visits to the skatepark car park in relation to a number of issues we have raised with them. We are aware of a number of incidents of damage at the skatepark and have been working to resolve issues. We are in the process of ordering a metal bin for the skatepark to replace the plastic one that was burnt. We have also recently paid for new LED lighting to be installed at the zebra crossing on the High Street to improve safety there. Hopefully this shows that we are trying to respond to resident’s concerns.
If you have further concerns or suggestions for how we could improve the High Street I would be happy to discuss this further with you and where necessary, raise issues with the Police, Safer Roads Partnership and Gloucestershire County Council’s Highways Department. You can get in touch by emailing our Clerk or phoning the office.
Best regards
Cllr Chris Witham