A GROUP of villagers in Nunney are fighting drivers who speed through their village, by setting up a speedwatch scheme.
For the past months, villagers say they have noticed an increase in commercial traffic through the village and a problem with speeding motorists, and are determined to tackle the problem before a serious accident occurs.
Resident Claire Menzies explained, “Nunney is a real hot spot – the main thoroughfare from Nunney Catch down past the local school and beyond that point, through the centre of the village, Church Street and out on the back road towards Frome, is a rat-run for commercial vans, 7.5 trucks and all manner of vehicles, all driving way too fast.
“As a result of several near misses, the residents of Nunney have decided to start a significant speed watch campaign to slow traffic down and to hopefully encourage and divert larger commercial vehicles back to the by-pass.”
An added problem is a lack of footpaths through the village, and the problem is only set to get worse in the summer with increased traffic as Nunney draws walkers and visitors to the castle.
Villagers are now so concerned that a number have come forward to get involved in the speed watch scheme. Villagers are trained to use a speed camera and record registration plates of speeding motorists. Although they are not able to issue fines, offending motorists do receive a letter from the police as a result.
Claire said, “Even getting across a tiny stretch of road is quite unnerving for some people now. I think as people who live in the village, we’ve got a duty to say to people please slow down.
“We have all sorts of things going on here, we’re very community driven and these issues are the only things that spoil it.”
