I’ve lived on the South Park Road estate for nearly 30 years. The issue, as identified in the officers’ report, is that of drivers using the estate part of Kingsway as a “cut through” to turn north onto the A34. In my experience, there is no general issue of speeding on the remainder of the estate and, indeed, I’d suggest that most residents easily keep within a 20mph limit.

The sensible way forward, therefore, is to address the issue of the rat-runners, whilst not inconveniencing residents. I think that suggests physical measures, like the humps, along Kingway, but not on the remainder of the estate. Formalising a 20mph speed limit throughout the estate seems a good idea. Does that sound like Option 2?

I’d further strongly suggest that this problem will only be properly dealt with by police intervention if only on an intermittent basis as they used to some years back. I reckon an officer booking offenders for an hour at a rush-hour every couple of months will have a far greater deterrent effect than any amount of calming measures.

Pam and Ian,

Option 1 use of speed bumps is not only disproportionate to the problem, but they inflict damage to the suspension of vehicles (even at speeds under 20mph) using them on a regular basis. Thus, residents vehicles are at risk.

I agree with John Harley and would go with Option 2 with speed bumps on Kingsway, but only if this was agreeable with residents living on Kingsway or accessing their homes on Lyndene and Braystan Gardens.

The 20 mph zone for the estate is a sensible approach, albeit, the majority of residents are respectful of speed. However, that cannot be said for all resident drivers and in particular, those outsiders who use South Park and Coniston Road as a cut-through particularly when police occasionally try to address the situation on Kingsway.

Thus, Option 2 with an estate 20mph restriction and restricted use of speed bumps on Kingsway is a more proportionate. From a personal perspective, a few speed bumps is not going to deter those who regularly use Kingsway as a cut-through.

I’ve mentioned before, but is ALPR (automatic licence plate recognition)not an option for the LA/GMP partnership. It saves on staffing and could be feasible to detect regular non-resident motorists using the cut through?

In the proposal for speed humps it mentions 5 humps between nos. 162 and 196 Kingsway. The service road ends at no. 188 ! The last one on the diagram is actually right outside our house. Oh joy!

I don’t see any point either in speed humps or a 20mph limit without a police presence to enforce it. In the absence of police the only thing which will make a difference is a camera, no-one will know if it is real or a dummy, but won’t take a chance.

There needs a sign on the M60 slip road where cars turn off to the estate. The present sign is too late, by the time drivers see it they have no option but to carry on. I supp ose that all this is the responsibility of the Highways Agency instead of the Council…….

I agree with John Hartley. Also, I am not aware that any estate residents have ever been injured. So the proposal to put in speed bumps is both needless and a waste of resources.

No need for speed bumps at all. Enforcement would be the better option!

Ian,
Its not the residents that need to slow down, its the fact that that Rat Run is allowed to continue.Speed Bumps would be a waste of money and would harm all our cars. Well done for all the common sense posted above.

[...] our consultation with South Park Road residents via this blog, Pam and I have progress to [...]

Ian/Pam,
Its clear that no one wants speed humps. They only create noise and pollution. It is some form of real deterant that is needed, Cameras or the Boys in Blue.
There is money to spend we know from the Barn’s site developers, but please don’t waste it on South Park in this way!