The Frome coordinator for Mendip Community Speed Watch (CSW), Ashley Reay, said that there had indeed been some good improvements within the actual town area. Marston Lane, Clink Road, Vallis Road, and Welshmill had all seen good reductions in speeding and this is to be welcomed.
The not so good areas were still Culverhill, Marston Road, Old Ford, and especially Berkley School which still remain as ‘high speeding areas.’ Speeds of up to 81mph have been recorded at Berkley School and many well over 60mph, which are more than double the posted speed limit of 30mph. All motorists exceeding the speed limit by more than 20mph have to attend court as there are no fixed penalties for speeds that high, and a driving ban is a distinct possibility.
The Speed Enforcement Unit (SEU) now visit Frome town area at least twice a week, sometimes three times and have reported that over the past three years a vast amount of motorists have been reported for speeding offences, either in the town area, or in nearby villages. The cost in terms of fines paid and the number of penalty points issued are enormous and could all be easily avoided as generous allowances are made before a motorist is prosecuted for a speeding offence.
While the motorists continue to ignore the speed limits, they will simply attract the attention of the police who now have the use of motorcycles as well as camera vans and these are now operating within the area and from 1st December will also start speed checks along Bath Road due to local concerns.
The data from local villages make poor reading with Rode, and Farleigh Hungerford still showing alarming numbers of motorists as having been recorded as exceeding the speed limit, all this despite extra road signage being installed to advertise the speed limit.
The Christmas message from CSW and Inspector Mark Nicholson from Avon and Somerset Police is, “Firstly a big thank you to all those motorists who have engaged with Community Speed Watch by slowing down, and secondly to warn drivers that if they continue to speed, then not only are they putting lives at risk, but it is also likely that they will be caught and prosecuted.”
