VEHICLES driving on the pavement at The Butts, rather than wait for oncoming traffic, have been labelled as unacceptable by a Frome Town councillor.
Residents in the area have also expressed their concern about the problem, with reports of near-misses between pedestrians and vehicles driving on the pavement.
Traffic heading north from the mini-roundabout where The Butts meets with Rossiter’s Road, is mounting the pavement to continue their journey along The Butts. Drivers are choosing to drive on the pavement rather than wait for oncoming traffic – which is overtaking parked cars along The Butts – to pass.
Cllr Scott Ward, who represents the Highpoint Ward, is working with residents in the area to collect evidence of the problem to present to the highways office at Somerset County Council. The group also intend to present potential solutions to the problem, which include double yellow lines on both sides of The Butts, and changing traffic flow to one-way only.
Speaking to Frome Times, cllr Ward said, “It’s not acceptable, there’s no reason for people to drive on the pavement. And let’s be honest, how much of a gain in time do they really get? 30 seconds? Is it worth it?
“Old fashioned stone gate posts have been knocked down along the road – and you have to hit them with a bit of force to knock one down. Is it worth the damage to your car? The damage to people’s property?
“And most importantly is it worth the risk of hurting someone? Not only are you driving on the pavement, you might be going too fast, you might not be paying attention. Road rage comes into play, as no-one in a happy mood decides to mount the pavement!”
Cllr Ward has established a Facebook group for residents – creating a space for them to share concerns and solutions.
“I wanted to give them a place where they could get some guidance,” said cllr Ward, “not necessarily from me, but I can at least point them in the direction of where they could. One thing I suggested to them was to start keeping a log of not only incidents, but any complaints they have made to highways and the police.
“We need to prove that there is an issue – people saying that there is an issue is different to having proof of one. We are also figuring out ways to work with Somerset County Council who I believe in the past decided against double-yellow lines down both sides of The Butts to stop people parking.
“Apparently they consider the cars that are parked there to be a natural traffic calming solution. In response to that, ideas that members of the public have put forward include could it be made a one-way street? Or curb extensions, creating give way areas to slow traffic down.
“Hopefully we can collect some positive ideas from the public that can be embraced by the relevant authorities.”
In response to questions from Frome Times about the issue and how the council could help residents, a spokesperson for Somerset County Council said, “We are aware of some concerns raised about parking in this area. We will shortly be reviewing parking across Frome; these comments are appreciated and will be considered as part of the review.”
