Midsomer Norton speeding campaign

Campaigners calling for the speed limit to be reduced outside a Midsomer Norton school say their pleas are falling on deaf ears.

The group is asking for the speed limit on Silver Street to be reduced from 60mph to 30mph because they fear it is a potential death trap, but are angry at the lack of action from Bath and North East Somerset Council.

People living on the street are concerned that unless some- thing is done someone walking along the pavement-less section of the road will be killed, and they are particularly concerned about the point where children from Norton Hill School cross to use the sports field on the other side.

Residents want the 30mph speed limit to be continued past the bend in the road near Midsomer Norton Rugby Club, citing frequent accidents on the road and its heavy use by pedestrians from not only the school but also the rugby club as the main reason behind their request.

But they claim that despite continual campaigning over the past few years and the issue being a top priority at the past five Partners and Communities Together (Pact) meetings, they have still seen no action from B&NES and say they are sick and tired of being fobbed of with the promise of the road safety measures being included in the next road improvement budget.

Mike Bell, who lives on the road, said: "With the dangers blindingly obvious, a strong police recommendation and residents' prompting making the issue the top priority five times at Pact meetings, it is hard to see why these basic safety measures have not been put in place.

"No one has stated any objections so there is nothing to overcome. We just have inaction."

At the most recent Midsomer Norton Pact meeting, Wendy Linham, from Avon and Somerset police, said the force was in full support of the speed limit reduction, and both Norton Hill and Midsomer Norton Rugby Club have also added their voices for the call for the speed limit to be reduced.

Philip Blatchford, who works at Downside School, said he also had fears for his own pupils who use the route.

He said: "With no pavements and a 60mph speed limit, the road is lethal. The 30mph limit was moved a number of years ago and we are all still questioning why. If the speed limit could be moved further up the road it would make it significantly safer for anyone using the route."

Kelvin Rees, who lives on the road said he has been campaigning for the speed limit change since his own children, now aged 25 and 27, started at Norton Hill.

He said: "It is so frustrating. Lives are put a risk every day. We want to know if the council would take responsibility for any lives lost in the time it takes them to put in place this simple road safety measure."

The residents have been told the cost of safety measures, including the speed limit change, painted signs on the road and sharks teeth to encourage motorists to slow down before the school crossing, would be about £6,500.

Councillor Chris Watt (Con, Midsomer Norton Redfield) said he and fellow Conservative ward councillor John Whittock were in full support of the residents' pleas and had been pushing for a speed limit reduction on the road for a long time.

He also said a technical proposal had been agreed by traffic engineers at B&NES and that he had received confirmation the work would be done as soon as there is money available.

Mr Watt said: "Mr Whittock and I have been doing a lot of work to make these changes happen.

"Although there is no budget this year, I have been told that as soon as there is slippage in the budget for traffic work the scheme will progress as a first priority."

Cllr Watt said reviews of the area's roads taking place in the near future would also help address the bigger issue of extending the 30mph speed limit past the Somerset County Council boundary.