Agenda item

To receive the following petition submitted in accordance with the Council’s Petitions Scheme:

·       Speed Cameras in Long Itchington

The Chair welcomed Mr Keith Turncliff to the meeting to present a petition requesting the installation of average speed cameras in Long Itchington.

Mr Turncliff made the following statement:

My request is for Average Speed Cameras to be installed on the A423 and Leamington Road in Long Itchington.

I worked for Warwickshire Police for over 35 years, mainly as a front line Police Officer, so have witnessed at first hand the results of speeding and the impact of fatal accidents on families. 

After retiring, I have been a main member of the local Community Speed Watch team and devoted many hours in an effort to reduce speeds in the village.  During my time with the CSW team I have witnessed vehicles travelling at 66 mph in 30 mph areas, on both the Southam Road and the Leamington Road.  Then we had the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, since then, things have got worse.  Warwickshire Police do carry out regular checks in the village as they recognise the problem we have, but tend to locate themselves outside the Duck on the Pond PH and only for the odd hour now and again. They need to vary the location and times where they carry out their checks.

This has had a knock on effect as the local CSW team is now redundant, because we cannot operate within a 2 mile radius of a location used regularly by Warwickshire Police - which effectively covers the whole village.
To the best of my knowledge NO speed checks have ever been carried out on Leamington Road by Warwickshire Police, which is disappointing as we have proved to them that Leamington Road does have a speeding problem.
For the purpose of this ePetition, I was fortunate to loan a speed gun from Warwickshire Police and carried out some covert checks in the 30mph areas, in order to obtain an accurate picture of speed in the village.
My survey of 1,884 motorists, showed that 86% were exceeding the speed limit.

52 motorists were travelling at speeds of 52 mph or greater, which would have resulted in a disqualification from driving. 

I believe there are three ‘hotspots’, where a fatal accident is most likely to occur in the village.  By far the area that causes me most concern is at the entrance to the Two Boats Public House on Southam Road.   Vehicles accelerate down the hill travelling South and those travelling North fail to brake before they enter the 30 mph zone.  There is a flashing 30 mph sign on the Southam Road, at this location, when travelling North.  I submit that over 90% of vehicles trigger this flashing sign.  There has been a fatal accident here in the past, albeit over 5 years ago.  During the survey, two HS2 8-wheeler HGV lorries were clocked at 48 mph and 55 mph travelling North here.  The highest speed of 73 mph was also recorded here, but going out of the village South towards Southam, which was 10% higher than previously recorded 66 mph, prior to the Covid pandemic.

I believe the second most likely location for a fatal accident in the village is Leamington Road at its junction with Short Lane, as there have been several damage only road traffic collisions but none resulting in serious injury.   Vehicles travelling out of the village accelerate far too early and those entering the village ignore the various speed reduction measures already in place.  These measures are countdown markers on the approach.  Dragon’s teeth painted on the road when entering the village, followed 150 metres later by a small single chicane.  I did record speeds of 60 mph at this junction during my survey.

My third ‘hotspot’ is in the vicinity of the new pedestrian crossing where I also recorded speeds of 60 mph during the survey.  There has been one fatal accident involving a mobility scooter and one serious injury accident within 100 metres of the crossing, both within the last 5 years. 

Elsewhere, I recorded speeds of 71 mph leaving the village travelling north on the A423 towards Marton and 60 mph past Greenway’s Care Home.  These speeds are expected to be found on a dual carriageway or motorway,
BUT NOT on village roads with pedestrian traffic, disabled persons on buggies, children going to and from school, dog walkers, horse riders, a care home and parents with prams and pushchairs.

Since I started this ePetition, there has been one fatal and one serious accident on the A423 between Long Itchington and Marton.  I believe there will be more fatal accidents on this section of road and that a fatal accident will also happen within the village very soon.

I do understand that there are other areas in Warwickshire which have higher incidents of injury and fatal accidents.  But it is a sad state of affairs when we as villages need more people to die in order to get the measures we so desperately need.  More 30mph repeater signs, roundels on the road and flashing speed signs may help.  An extra crossing facility in the vicinity of Lilac View would assist locals and help to reduce speeds.

Motoring has evolved, driving standards have fallen and traffic calming measures that may have been suitable 10 years ago, may now need a drastic re-think.  I have looked at ALL of the traffic calming measures available and have come to the conclusion that in order to make the roads safe, Average Speed Cameras are the only solution. 

Both Marton Parish Council and Long Itchington Parish Council support this petition.  It's not just about speed and accidents. Raised speeds increase noise and pollution and we would ask that WCC also consider the effect that speeding vehicles have on the quality of life and will WCC help the residents of Long Itchington live their best lives?

I repeat this request is for average Speed Cameras to be installed on the A423 and Leamington Road in the village of Long Itchington.”

Councillor Wallace Redford (Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning) thanked Mr Turnecliff for the petition adding that he would consider it and provide a response.