Speeding figures in Frome ‘more than doubled’

THE latest report on speeding in the Frome area for last year has been issued, showing Warminster Road, Styles Hill and Frome town centre as ‘speeding hot spots.’

Ashley Reay, Mendip Community SpeedWatch coordinator and police volunteer said, “The year of 2022 was not good in terms of numbers recorded for excess speeds in Mendip. Figures released last week show that in the Frome area, the number of motorists prosecuted for excess speed more than doubled compared to 2021.

“The figures from Community SpeedWatch, regrettably showed a wonton disregard for speed limits of other road users or the motorist themselves. Particular hot spots in Frome are Warminster Road, Styles Hill and Frome town centre, where over 1,700 motorists faced prosecution in 2022 for speeds at times over 60 mph, in a 30mph zone. Police sometimes now visit in the hours of darkness using the latest night-time vision cameras.

“It has to be remembered that the sites of speed checks are well known, published every week in the media, and are very high profile. The reason for these checks is that the public have asked for them and they will be continued into 2023. In a high-profile operation, some 50 speed checks will be carried out in and around Frome during early February.

“It is about time the public stopped blaming everyone else but themselves when they are caught for excess speed as we all know what the speed limits are and the reasons why they are there and fines and penalty points are easily avoided by simply slowing down.

“The fact that no-one has died to date over the winter period in the Frome area on the roads does perhaps give some hope that there might be a glimmer of hope for 2023 and is all not just luck, so let us hope the next news item on excess speeds is a more positive one and these horrendous figures reduce.”