Community speed watch and traffic monitoring planned

Mounting public pressure has prompted authorities to take swift action against speeding traffic in Ottery.

Concerned residents launched a petition that gained 120 signatures in just days, calling for urgent measures to ease ‘dangerous’ driving on roads near The King’s School.

They won the backing of Ottery Town Council members, who have subsequently met Devon County Council (DCC) highways representatives, campaigners and police to organise monitoring and a community speed watch scheme.

Brian Cammack raised the issue on behalf of residents of Barrack Road, Exeter Road, Cadhay Lane and some of Thorne Farm, and says he welcomes the fast response from authorities involved.

He said: “The situation has got considerably worse because of an increase in traffic. We have been working out the front of our house for the last few weeks and it’s been manic. It’s not only me and my neighbours who complain about it, it’s anyone who visits as well.”

The petition is calling for a roundabout, though Mr Cammack would like a community speed watch launched higher up the road as well.

PCSO Maria Clapp, of Ottery’s neighbourhood police team, has backed the campaign and organised a community speed watch scheme near the Finnimore Industrial Estate.

She said: “A new crossing is due to be installed from The King’s School to the new Bovis Homes development opposite, which is good news. There have been a couple of accidents in the area. The community speed watch scheme is there to raise awareness and keep speed down.”

Mr Cammack agreed a crossing would help the situation and argued that the situation is going to be more critical than ever with talk of a new primary school being built in the area.

DCC is planning to carry out covert monitoring of the roads to assess traffic volume and speed before deciding on what – if any – action should be taken.

It confirmed a crossing would be installed at The King’s School, but the timescale was down to the developer.