Council backs call for traffic calming in Ottery

A rallying cry from residents wanting traffic-calming measures to stop speeding traffic in Ottery has been supported by the town council.

Brian Cammack, representing residents of Barrack Road, Exeter Road, Cadhay Lane and some from Thorne Farm, announced a petition had been launched calling for action, at the latest Ottery Town Council meeting, on Monday (July 4).

He said the residents wanted town councillors’ support to go to Devon Highways to seek traffic calming.

“Our preference is a roundabout – a simple roundabout at the crossroads just above The King’s School,” he said.

Mr Cammack said they were seeking support from the town council to get highways officers to meet residents and hear what they had to say.

They were also wanting checks to see how many vehicles were using the road and at what speed.

He said residents had attempted to get traffic-calming measures put in place about four years ago, but

nothing had come of it.

“The situation has got considerably worse because of the increase in traffic and the speed of the traffic coming down that road,” Mr Cammack said.

“People coming off the dual carriageway, coming down there, don’t take any notice of the 40mph sign and get to the 30mph - and then they are way over the limit.”

He said a roundabout would mean people would have to stop.

“If you have other calming measures, they just have to think about it. If you have flashing lights or other things, they think about it, then ignore it and carry straight on.”

Councillor Roger Giles said: “We need to do what we can to support this. The situation will get a lot worse when the people living in the new development of 165 houses start coming in and out of there.”

The town council agreed to try to arrange a meeting with highways chiefs.

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