If you were to guess how many people speed on Southdown road, what would you say… I think you’ll be shocked at the actual figure.
The SID data shows that over 90% of the drivers on Southdown Road are breaking the speed limit. Downwood Way was little better at 78%
The SID unit has visited 16 roads where the limit is 30MPH. The SID data identified speeds greater than the Motorway limit on 5 of the 16 roads. (82 MPH being recorded on Portsmouth Road, 81 on Catherington Lane and 77 on Drift Road). 50 was the minimum high speed.
The highest speed was recorded on Downhouse Road (40MPH Limit) at 106MPH.
Here is the spreadsheet from the Smiley Sid which you will have seen about. The red boxes show the high speeds, Blue boxes vehicles travelling within the speed limit, and the yellow boxes the number of vehicles per hour passing through the roads.
Downwood Way has seen 10 road traffic incidents accidents in the last 12 years, several where a car has hit a house backing onto the road. On one occasion this resulted in damage to the wall inside the lounge, another occasion demolishing a new extension. With each accident, there were common themes: Young male driver speeding and loosing control on the bend.
The police advise that the number one issue from the public is Speeding, and the data gathered shows there are genuine reasons to be concerned. So, where do we go from here? Speed enforcement is the responsibility of The Police. Road Safety improvements is the responsibility of Hampshire County Council. We can raise the issue with both organisations.
Doing nothing is not an option, it is only a matter of time before there is a more serious life changing accident. Turning the roads into 20MPH routes with sleeping policemen is not a practicable option as they are primary emergency vehicle routes, and maybe not what we would wish to see anyway.
The right solution may be some enforcement to target the most serious offenders, and if possible, some clear crossing points to link the footways and estates on opposite sides of the road, but this would be a good time to get your views too.
Please let me know below how you feel about Downwood Way, Southdown Road, Tarn Rise, White Dirt Lane, Drift Road and london Road. In the ‘Please consider’ poll you can click on any or all of the possible solutions you think are appropriate, or email me on guy.shepherd@easthants.gov.uk
To download a full copy of the data, click on this link here: SID Data
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