People power pays off as village gets action to curb speeding drivers

Bishop’s Tachbrook Community Speed Watch started monitoring the speed of drivers in 2013 in the 30mph zone in Oakley Wood Road with their research showing 80 per cent of motorists were driving above the legal limit with 15 per cent exceeding 45mph.

The group started discussing options with Warwickshire County Council and after consulting with Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish Council and residents, Warwick-based property company AC Lloyd funded the £100k traffic calming scheme as part of its construction of its nearby Oakley Grove development.

A ‘raised table’ has now been constructed by Warwickshire County Council along Oakley Wood Road while new street lights have been added in the conservation area and the 30mph signs brought closer to the village.

Leigh Carter, head of Bishop’s Tachbrook Community Speed Watch and vice-chairman of Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish Council, said the traffic calming measures were making a significant difference. He said: “We spent three years looking at our options before we came up with the most appropriate solution for Oakley Wood Road which was a raised table.

“The junction is part of a conservation area so we had to respect that and this is an aesthetically enhancing scheme which is another benefit.

“The raised table means people can also cross the road more easily because the traffic is slower which has made it a safer route to and from Bishop’s Tachbrook Church of England Primary School.

“It isn’t possible to eliminate all speeding, but it has had a significant calming effect. Overall speed has dropped by 10mph which means now only 28 per cent of motorists are exceeding the limit and those travelling over 45mph have been eliminated completely.”

Cllr Les Caborn, who represents Budbrooke and Bishop’s Tachbrook at Warwickshire County Council, added: “This is an example of partnership working with the developer, the Parish Council, Community Speed Watch and Warwickshire County Council to achieve a win-win for the village.

“Speeding through this part of Bishop’s Tachbrook has been a long-standing problem which we have discussed with residents and the traffic calming measures which have been introduced are a great solution.”

Alistair Clark, managing director of AC Lloyd Homes, said Warwickshire County Council senior traffic engineer Debbie Poynton and her colleagues had taken residents’ concerns into account every step of the way.

“Our Oakley Grange development which is near Oakley Wood Road is proving to be very popular and we are delighted that the development has enabled the traffic calming measures to solve an issue which has concerned the community for the last five years,” he said.

“The scheme has also involved drainage works, improving the kerbs and paths and better and more clearer signs, and it means the area provides safer routes to school and is safer for residents, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.”