Speeding or inappropriate speed contributes to over 55% of all fatal road collisions in Great Britain (Dept of Transport official data)
 
In August more than 48,000 vehicles travelled through Brailes and yet again, almost half exceeded the speed limit. The speed data is recorded 24/7 by our two static speed cameras.These persistent speeders are putting lives at risk and so as a village, we must do everything we can to help reduce speeds.  The Police have witnessed speeding first hand when they have joined our Community Speed Watch (CSW) speed monitoring events and have committed to attend the village more frequently with such equipment that will result in offenders being fined and issued with penalty points. Speeding through WINDERTON is also an issue and we are currently awaiting WCC Highway’s department to conduct a formal traffic survey to assess the situation. 
 
The CSW team however are committed to continue to hold speed monitoring events in the village every week to try to make as many drivers aware of their speed as we can, but that alone is clearly not going to solve the problem. An example being one driver has been reported a record 5 times in the last 5 months and in all cases over 40mph!! The Police are taking action with this driver.
 
ROAD SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PLAN
 
Phase 1 – School Zone Flashing Warning Lights  
 
Despite being promised by the supplier that installation of our ‘School Zone’ flashing lights would be completed before the school children started back after their summer break, this clearly didn’t happen. The posts to support the light boards were installed in August and the very latest update, at time of writing, is they will be installed and fully operational by mid- October.
 
Phase 2 – Pedestrian Crossing by the School
 
In conjunction with us creating a school safety zone, we need a designated crossing point within the zone to establish a safer and recognised place to cross the road. 
Given the volume of speeders that are recorded every day, children and other vulnerable pedestrians are likely to be far less able to determine a vehicle’s approach speed when crossing the road, thus increasing the risk of impact.
What seems an obvious road safety improvement solution is proving to be more difficult than it should be. To date we are still awaiting a meeting with WCC Highway’s Department to discuss and challenge the pedestrian / vehicle numbers formula they use to determine whether we can have a zebra crossing or not; a formula that makes no sense to anyone trying to improve the safety of our children trying to cross the road outside the school. 
 
 
Phase 3 – Permanent Traffic Calming Measures 
 
If we are ever to resolve the speeding problem, such that ALL vehicles always comply with the speed limit for the safety of ALL road users, the only option is to install such physical traffic calming measures as necessary to ensure traffic enters and drives through our village at a safer speed with appropriate due care and attention. Whether this involves raised speed tables and/or chicanes upon entering the village will be determined following further research and once real examples of similar measures used in other villages are properly assessed.
 
This is why our road safety campaign must continue to raise funds to implement the necessary measures that will make the roads safer for us all.