Parking ban slammed after rise in speeding

Buy photos » Speeding traffic has increased on Daventry Road since yellow lines were painted there. 42.011.035.rug.jg

VILLAGERS in Dunchurch are demanding the removal of double yellow lines which have led to an increase in speeding drivers.

Residents’ group RAPID - Residents’ Action: Parking in Dunchurch - campaigned against double yellow lines in Daventry Road for years fearing an increase in speeding together with the loss of much-needed parking in the village.

But their pleas and a 500 signature petition fell on deaf ears and Warwickshire County Council went ahead and painted the double yellow lines earlier this year.

And residents claim their worst fears have been realised with an immediate increase in the speeds of traffic entering and leaving the village on 30mph limit Daventry Road.

A speed survey carried out by the county council in March confirmed average speed of vehicles entering the village was now 36.4 mph and those leaving the village was a potentially lethal 43.4 mph.

The last survey in 2005 recorded an average speed of 32 mph for entering the village, and 37.2 mph for those leaving.

“Everyone has seen the government campaigns about 30 mph speed limits” said villager Paul Callaway.

“The risk of death is about four times higher when a pedestrian is hit at 40 mph than at 30 mph. We live in a residential area where we are now much more likely to be killed when crossing our road. If the average speed is nearly 45mph, what on earth was the highest?

"We warned the council that this would happen but they wouldn’t listen – their decision was flawed. Surely now they have the facts, they need to reverse the decision to have double yellow lines? Or are they waiting for a catastrophe before they admit their obvious error?”

Residents are now demanding the double yellow lines be removed.

They also want bollards removed on the north side of Daventry Road, allowing a return to half on-half off road parking.

Daventry Road resident Richard Adnitt said: "Mistakes do happen from time to time - it would be fantastic if them council admitted they made the wrong decision, and then took positive action to create a win-win situation; increased parking availability and traffic calming, resulting in reduced speeds.”

Warwickshire roads spokesman Coun Peter Butlin said removing the lines was not an option since the council painted the lines to improve the 'poor visibility' for drivers joining Daventry Road due to parked cars.

"It was inevitable to some extent there would be a small increase in speeding traffic going up and down there," said Coun Butlin.

"But some of the parking was absolutely chaotic and we had to do something to improve the even greater safety risk for people joining Daventry Road from Guys Common and other side roads.

"It's a road I use regularly, and in fact I used to live there, and it has always had problems with speeding. We have got people looking at it and we're going to try to come up with ways we can tackle the speeding problem."

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