Speeding on residential street

Got an email from couuncil saying passed to highways and then no more. Last night when I came home two boy racers raced up the valley almost knocking me over

got an update fromm highways - someone has to die apparently.

Thank you for your email dated 1 March 2010 regarding speeding vehicles on Gledhow Valley Road and your request for traffic calming features between Gledhow Park Drive and Gledhow Park Road.

With regards your request for traffic calming measures to be introduced between Gledhow Park Drive and Gledhow Park Road, a major traffic calming scheme was undertaken in 2004 to address a serious injury accident problem along the full length of Gledhow Valley Road. Prior to the existing traffic calming being introduced Gledhow Valley Road was ranked as a length for concern on the City Council’s accident framework with recommendations for the introduction of traffic calming measures.

I appreciate your concerns regarding speeding vehicles on Gledhow Valley Road, however in order for the Highways Authority to gain funding for traffic calming schemes, any scheme must be able to demonstrate it has a road safety benefit. To gain priority for these limited resources schemes must show that injury accident savings can be made in an effort to meet Central Government targets for the reduction of injury accidents nationally.

I have analysed the recorded injury accidents for the whole length of Gledhow Valley Road and since the introduction of the existing traffic calming features in 2004 there have been 10 recorded injury accidents non of which have occurred between Gledhow Park Drive and Gledhow Park Road.

Whilst it may seem that the Highway Authority are ‘waiting for accidents to happen’, the Authority must deal with sites that already have an identified history of injury accidents rather than those with only the potential to happen and if schemes with no history of injury accidents were proposed and introduced and consequently no accident savings were made, it is likely that the Highways Authority would be penalised when future resources are allocated by Central Government. Highway Authorities must show that sites where the largest savings in accidents and major reduction in speeds can be achieved are being afforded priority.

As there have not been any injury accidents recorded on Gledhow Valley Road between Gledhow Park Drive and Gledhow Park Road since the introduction of the existing traffic calming, I am unable to recommend that a scheme be put forward for additional traffic calming measures at this present time.

As speeding is an offence only the police have powers to enforce, if this is a continuous issue that residents are concerned about, I would suggest they contact the Police on there non-emergency number 0845 6060606 and request that some enforcement action is carried out.

I trust that the foregoing information is of assistance

Regards Nick Borras Senior Engineer Traffic Management East City Development Leeds City Council Tel No: (0113) 3951431 Fax No: (0113) 3952101 e mail:- nick.borras@leeds.gov.uk

Meeting with Highways about speeding on that stretch on monday 18th at 10am with local councillor - come along

Dear Mr Strong,

I refer to your email detailed below and your request for a copy of the raw data. We are having some IT problems at the present time and I am unable to fulfil this request, but as soon as I am able to scan the survey data, I will forward accordingly it accordingly.

Below for your information is a summary of the speed and volume surveys which have been undertaken along the length the residents are concerned about and also two other locations to the north and south of Gledhow Valley Road to make a comparison, particularly in regards to the claim that vehicles speed up along this section .

Gledhow Valley Road – North

Leeds 000042011263: 2011-09-26 to 2011-09-29

Direction

Ave. daily flow

Mean speed

Northbound

2934

29.0mph

Southbound

3400

31.4mph

Gledhow Valley Road – mid section outside Houses

Leeds 000042011264: 2011-09-26 to 2011-09-29

Direction

Ave. daily flow

Mean speed

Northbound

4003

31.1mph

Southbound

3150

31.2mph

Gledhow Valley Road – South

Leeds 000042011265: 2011-09-21 to 2011-09-23

Direction

Ave. daily flow

Mean speed

Northbound

3047

32.8mph

Southbound

3335

31.9mph

The Department for Transport within their latest guidance on setting speed limit state that the speed survey assessment should be based around the mean speed of vehicles. (DfT Circular 01/2006 – Setting Local Speed Limit)

Therefore the above surveys show that the mean speeds are very similar along the entire length of Gledhow Valley Road and that the mean vehicle speeds at all three locations are to very close to the posted speed limit (30mph) and that there is no identified increase in vehicular speeds outside the houses when comparing the mean speeds against the other two locations. The data does show however that there are a large number of motorist who are exceeding the speed limit at this location as is the case on most roads within Leeds where inconsiderate motorist choose to drive at a speed of their choosing, rather than what is permitted.

If you are unaware West Yorkshire Police follow ACPO guidelines when enforcing speed limits and these recommend only issuing enforcement actions against vehicles which are travelling at +10% of the prescribed speed limit, + 2mph. This compensates for any slight inaccuracies on the offending cars speedometer. Therefore on Gledhow Valley Road, the enforcement level is 30mph, plus 3mph (10%) + 2mph, giving an enforcement level of 35mph and above. The raw data shows that on average there are 578 vehicles (18% of daily flow) exceeding 35mph in a southbound direction and 845 vehicles (21% of the daily flow) exceeding the 35mph in a northbound direction outside the residential properties.

I will look to see if there is a particular day and time which shows the highest level of non-compliance and will forward this data onto the Police and ask if they are able to allocate resources to undertaken enforcement action at the specific times, also their presence in the locality may also act at a longer term deterrent.

As I have already stating in previous correspondence, a key indicator of weather any local speed limit is correct and appropriate is to consider the collision and injury accident rating and numbers. The length of Gledhow Valley Road (between Geldhow Park Road and Gledhow Park Drive) has not had one recorded injury accident within the last 5 years period which could be seen that the traffic calming features have been very successful in reducing the previously very high injury accident record and severity rating.

However the high proportion of motorist who are still exceeding the speed limit here is of concern and I will therefore add your request for some more traffic calming measures onto the Traffic Managements wish list. This enables the traffic section once its budget provision is allocated for next year, to assess all similar requests received throughout the year against a priority matrix and those scheme which score high are allocated the limited funding. In addition i will see if funding could be made available from other sources in the interim period.

I am sorry I cannot be more positive in your request at the present time but trust the above explains the present position.

WE HAVE BEEN OFFERED SPEED BUMPS - should help things - however one objection so may not haan