Does Ashfield need more traffic calming measures?

There have been recent campaigns to cut speed limits on some roads which have become accident blackspots.

Last week Chad reported on the latest campaign by the Sutton Junction Residents Association to cut the speed limit on Coxmoor Road which was recently the scene of a fatal accident.

Nigel Bennet, chairman of the association said: “The number of accidents on Coxmoor Road is rising dramatically– the latest one on February 26 resulted in a fatality.

“Already this year we have seen two major accidents, both with serious injuries.

“The road is very busy with bends and dips – it is very dangerous for vehicles to drive at 60mph - it is time to lower the speed limit.”

We spoke to residents and shoppers in Kirkby and asked them what they thought.

They generally agreed lowering the speed limit on Coxmoor Road would be a good idea.

People we spoke to said estates had become rat runs and race tracks for boy racers.

We asked if more measures such as speed bumps and lower speed limits were the answer.

But there were also concerns about traffic becoming more congested in places like Kirkby and some think more measures would just add to the snarl ups.

Kayleigh Shaw, 22, of Kirkby, pictured with her daughters Georgia, three, and Taylor Mae, one, said: There are a lot of places around here where traffic calming is needed.

“Recently I was nearly taken out by two cars racing one another on Lowmoor Road.

“I was in a car with my two kids. We were in a car and they were driving on either side of us.

“I think more cameras would do it because with the bumps people still drive fast over them – they are not bothered.”

Gemma Williams, 40, of Kirkby, said: “Speed bumps won’t stop people racing around the estates – the only people it restricts are the police, the fire brigade and the ambulance crews.”

Peter and Maureen Millard, of Kirkby. Peter said: “On Coxmoor Road I imagine coming down to 50 mph would help a lot – that’s if people observed it. In Derbyshire now most of the roads are 50mph.”

Eric Smith, 85, of Kirkby, said: “Speed reduction is a good idea if there are a lot of accidents. But round here it is nothing to do with speed bumps – they should widen the roads.”

Les Flowerdew, 56, of Newark, said: “The problem with speed humps is people are slowing down and speeding up. If you had a 20mph limit in those areas it would help conserve fuel.”

Stephen Smith, 53, of Kirkby, said: “If you go through the Carsic estate you end up being car sick because of all the speed bumps. I don’t think traffic calming, apart from speed cameras, is all that effective.”