Hundreds of residents sign petition calling for average speed cameras in a village near Leamington

Former police officer Keith Turnecliff presented the document to Warwickshire County Council’s full council meeting on September 29 and explained why more than 1,020 people were calling for action on the A423 and Leamington Road, both of which are subject to a 30mph speed limit.

He told councillors: “I worked for Warwickshire Police for over 35 years mainly as a frontline police officer. After retiring I became a member of the local community Speedwatch team and devoted many hours to getting speeds reduced in the village.”

He said police checks were often carried out but were nearly always in the same place by the Duck on the Pond pub meaning Speedwatch checks could no longer be carried out because they would be within two miles of a location regularly used by police.

And he added that after being loaned a police speed gun to do his own checks on 1,884 vehicles, he found 86 per cent of them exceeded the speed limit and that more than 50 were travelling at a speed that would have seen them disqualified from driving.

Mr Turnecliffe said: “The area that causes me most concern is at the entrance to the Two Boats public house on Southam Road where vehicles accelerate down the hill travelling south and those travelling north fail to brake before entering the 30mph zone.

“There has been a fatal accident at this location in the past albeit more than five years ago and two HS2 eight-wheel tipper lorries were clocked at 48 and 55mph at this location, both travelling north. A high speed of 73mph was clocked going south.”

He said other vehicles had been clocked doing in excess of 60mph at other locations in Long Itchington.

He concluded: “Since I started this petition there has been one fatal and one serious accident on the A423 between Long Itchington and Marton and I believe there will be more fatal accidents on this section of road and in the village before too long.”

The council’s portfolio holder for transport and planning, Cllr Wallace Redford said: “The county council takes road safety extremely seriously and I will ensure that officers review the location and I will respond to you shortly.”