Drivers on one of Alsager’s busiest roads are reaching “appalling” speeds, according to new data from the town council.
Plans by Cheshire Police to reduce PCSO numbers across the county prompted Alsager Town Council to approve two additional speed indicator devices (SIDs), bringing the total to three.
Coun Chris Venables said he hoped the devices would encourage drivers to slow down.
He said: “There is likely to be less policing in Alsager as a result of the PCSO cutback, which means there might be less enforcement.
“We thought we ought to invest in more SIDs to bring the issue of speeding to people’s attention.”
The decision came after the first sets of data were published from the SID bought by the town council last year, which was placed at one of Alsager’s speeding hotspots on Audley Road.
Coun Venables explained that the SID was installed roughly 300 yards down from the Manor House Hotel as drivers entered Alsager from the direction of the A500.
The location was chosen after numerous complaints about speeding from residents, as well as an incident on 3rd October when a vehicle collided with a tree, which resulted in a man and two children being taken to hospital.
Coun Venables said: “Thankfully, there were no serious injuries on that occasion, but people have been known to travel down that road at silly speeds.”
SIDs, which can be moved and secured to any lamppost, monitor the speed at which vehicles travel past, and at what time. It was first set up to record traffic on Audley Road on Wednesday 3rd December.
In a report from the first 10 days of monitoring, the device revealed that 67% of drivers were travelling faster than the 30mph speed limit.
While observations taken from 3rd December showed 3,068 drivers travelling up to the limit of 30mph, more than double (6,988) were driving between 30mph and 40mph.
A further 912 drivers were recorded travelling between 40mph and 50mph, 22 motorists between 50mph and 60mph and two between 60mph and 70mph.
Coun Venables said: “I think that is appalling. People driving up to 40mph could have a chance to slow down, but others are just ignoring the speed limits and driving up to 70mph – it is quite scary.
“We need to make people aware that this is a built-up area, people are walking their dogs and (going) to school.”
“Please observe the speed limits. They are there to keep everybody safe. We don’t want anyone to be injured.”
Coun Venables said Crewe Road between Bank Corner and the mini roundabout at the Poppyfields housing estate had also been highlighted as an area of concern for speeding by residents.
He said the town council was also in conversation with Cheshire East about having the speed limit on Richard Woodcock Way, near to Sainsbury’s, reduced to 20mph.
He said: “We are having conversations with the local police but I don’t think enforcement is the answer. I’m not particularly in favour of giving people speeding tickets because I don’t think that necessarily helps a great deal.
“There are things we can ask the police to do, but this isn’t about trying to give people fines.
“It’s about people being responsible and thinking let’s all try to do our little bit to keep the village safe.”
(Photo: Google Earth).
