Issue 299 – Safety concerns in Stonebridge Drive

A FROME resident has raised concerns over speed bumps in Stonebridge Drive.

The speed bumps were installed when the Stonebridge Drive development was built, and are designed to reduce the speed of traffic in the residential area and approach to the sports centre and college. However, Douglas Insall is questioning the effectiveness of the traffic reducing measures.
“Unfortunately, they don’t work!” he said. “Vehicles speed through the central gaps and swerve violently at times to achieve this. The width of most vehicles can virtually straddle each bump with little or no reduction in speed. I have personally had two very near misses driving out of Rowan Court and turning left. Parked cars obscure vision and speeding cars using the gap cause a real threat, especially when the road is wet.”
“Continuous rumble strips across the road would effectively slow traffic down for the safety of everyone, but especially children using the sports centre and Frome Community College. Traffic would then keep to their side of the road and not practise their slalom turns.”
A spokesman for Somerset County Council said, “Speed reducing measures were installed when the Stonebridge Drive development was built. We are not aware of any safety issues regarding the speed cushions (bumps). We will monitor traffic movements along Stonebridge to ascertain the extent of any problems there.”