Flashing speed signs trigger to be lowered in Church Stretton
Flashing speed signs that are triggered by motorists travelling faster than the speed limit have been shown to be effective – that is, as long as they are actually triggering.
But in one Shropshire village resident noticed cars needed to be going at nearly 40mph before their 30mph slow down sign lit up.
Villagers banded together with a Shropshire Council to put the help put the brakes on speeding motorists in a move that may persuade the authority to change its policy on limits set on speed warning lights county-wide.
All Stretton Village Society’s committee had been trying since November last year to get the flashing sign on the B5477 to Church Stretton calibrated to work at anything above 30mph and not let motorists through at up to 37mph before working, which some members reported had been experienced.
Last month, they called on the services of Lee Chapman, their representative on Shropshire Council, who speedily got the highways and transport wheels turning – and a promise to get the village sign flashing the right message to motorists in a hurry. Councillor Chapman told the villagers: “I met with council officers and Councillor Steve Davenport, the cabinet member responsible for this issue.
“We had a long discussion about the role of these signs and speeding on our roads.
“I am, however, pleased to report I have managed to convince Shropshire Council to recalibrate your sign on an experimental basis to assess the impact.
“This will be at the speed limit plus 2mph – 32mph – removing the extra 10 per cent which is what the Department of Transport guidance contains.
“Councillor Davenport has agreed that the site will be used as a trial for potentially recalibrating others across the county”.
Colin Osborne, All Stretton Village Society secretary, said: “We are delighted that Councillor Chapman was able to get our sign calibrated to a common sense level.
“Letting motorists through without a warning at up to 37mph not only gives then a false sense of security but also puts pedestrians – including children at the two schools on the route to Church Stretton – at a greater risk from passing traffic.
“I’m pleased that democracy is alive and well in All Stretton,” he said.
