Half of motorists caught speeding (From thisisoxfordshire)

Police checks highlight problems

12:00pm Monday 21st January 2013 in News By Emma Harrison, Reporter covering Rose Hill, Littlemore and Iffley. Contact me on 01865 425430

RESIDENTS of Oxford’s Rose Hill residents are calling for action after nearly half the drivers using the main road into the estate were found to be speeding. A total of 61 drivers out of 143 were clocked breaking the 20mph limit in Ashhurst Way – more than 42 per cent – during a police operation last month. The checks were carried out by Police Community Support Officers, using speed indicator devices.

The fastest driver was caught doing 38mph during the one-hour check on December 29, nearly double the 20mph speed limit.

Residents believe a number of factors contribute to the problem. Despite speed limit signs at the entrance to the estate, the width of the road gives a number of drivers the impression they can go faster than 20mph. There are two 20mph signs as drivers turn into Ashhurst Way from Oxford Road, which is the main route into the estate.

Ray James, 65, is chairman of the Rose Hill Tenants and Residents’ Association. He said: “I must admit I thought it was a 30mph limit, not a 20mph limit.

“I’m surprised, because it’s a wide road, unlike most of them in Rose Hill.

“What concerns me about that is at the top of Rose Hill you are approaching the school. “I think something needs to be done.”

He suggested that extra signs could be put up orspeed ramps put in the road.

Terry Kirkby, 71, from Rose Hill, said more police enforcement was the key to stopping speeding on the estate. He said; “I don’t think any more signs will be any help because people disregard them anyway.” Resident Sharon Bates, of Dashwood Road, said: “A lot of people don’t realise it is only 20mph, rather than 30mph. Most residents certainly don’t think they’re speeding.”

But Vim Rodrigo, 80, of Rivermead Road, said: “I think people tend to drive fairly carefully, because there are so many children.”

He added that a high number of parked cars caused problems for drivers on the road and said: “We have a problem not so much in the speeding but in making the way clear for people to move freely.”

The drivers who were caught speeding were sent warning letters ,as PCSOs cannot issue fines.

Rose Hill neighbourhood sergeant Alan Coffey said speeding in Ashhurst Way was low level. He said: “When we say speeding they may have been doing 21, 22 or 23mph. That accounts for the majority of speeding.

“If a particular area is a persistent problem in terms of speeding, we will contact some of our colleagues from the road policing team and there will be enforcement.”

He said the neighbourhood team regularly carried out speed checks and added: “We don’t take our eye off the ball.”