PARWICH.ORG

At the last Parish Council meeting (held on September 8th), PC Cooper presented various pieces of information regarding various traffic concerns.

Following the concerns raised at the open meeting, a speed survey was carried out. Statistically, the speed and the number of incidents reported do not highlight a problem.

The Parish Council would like to make people aware of the need to report any concerns.

PC Cooper’s report:

Speeding Vehicles.

A speed survey was carried out. Results are listed below. This does not show a problem of exceeding the speed limit. The issue is more like vehicles going too fast for the circumstances. The village itself has no collision stats to highlight any issues or particular location in the village.

If there are particular regular vehicles that cause concern, then if people provide me with times / vehicle details, I’ll speak to the owner/driver.

I appreciate some people will feel that ‘nothing is done until someone is killed’. This comment is made at every village, when speed issues are raised. Unfortunately DCC have to look at ‘real’ rather than ‘perceived’ risks as they have limited funds and have to try and spend it where it will be most effective. There are many areas where there would seem to be a risk of collisions, but they are never backed up by collisions ever occuring.

I do try and monitor collisions across the area, and where problems seem to rise I do suggest improvements that could be made. The final decision rests with DCC. In the past, improvements with road signs / markings have been made at the Grangemill (A5012) crossroads, ‘S’ bends on A515, junction at Marston Montgomery, following suggestions put to DCC.

Currently, after Police put ideas to DCC and met with them, new signs are on order to try and improve the Tissington Gates junction. A meeting is planned with DCC to look at the Elton Moor crossroads on A5012, again initiated by Police. All these locations have had a history of collisions, which then helps to identify the regular problem and how to try and highlight the issue for drivers.

Parwich Village – 30 mph limit – Survey date 17th May 2009.

• Average speed of all traffic – 26 mph.
• 25.2% of all traffic over speed limit.
• 0 % of all traffic over 45 mph (15 mph over limit).
• 85th percentile – 33.5 mph. (NB – this figure is used so that it takes into account excessive speed that may be down to Emergency vehicles, error readings. It should give a better reflection rather than the straight forward average speed).
• Traffic flow – 2824 vehicles.

Home Office guidelines are for Fixed Penalty Notices to be issued to drivers exceeding the limit by 10% + 2, i.e. 35 in a 30mph limit, 46 in a 40 mph limit. You are allowed 10% error on your speedometer. 85th percentile is below 35 mph.

Tractors.

We also had a number of complaints concerning tractors around Tissington village. Tractors were said to be speeding around the area. A complaint did also come from Parwich. The complaints were general with only one identifying an actual tractor by registration number.

One farmer has been contacted and advised to speak to his drivers. He has also been told about one said to be using a mobile phone. They have been aware of concerns and have kept an eye on their drivers.

Because of their size they may sometimes appear to be speeding, when again in reality it is within the limit, but may be too quick for the circumstances. Officers were made aware to monitor when passing through the villages.

In relation to Road Traffic offences, we do encourage people to report issues to us, providing regd nos, times, dates, etc. We will though make it clear that often it may be one person’s word against the other, and so be hard to take to Court action. However as the local bobby, if details are passed to me, I’m happy to speak with vehicle owner/drivers and make them aware of complaints.

Road Closure – Fenny Bentley.

I have had surprisingly few issues raised over this. The first time it was shut, complaints were made about buses that were diverting through the lanes and going at speed. The Manager was spoken to and was to advise the 3 drivers that use the area.

Concern was raised at the same time about the verges on the lanes being overgrown. A resident from Parwich has also recently raised this, along with the general condition of the Alsop to Parwich road.

Through HQs, DCC were asked to look at the verges on these minor lanes whilst the diversions were on, because of the increase in traffic. It is a bit of a catch 22 situation in that by cutting back these verges, making the lanes appear wider, drivers sometimes speed up and go quicker. The comments re road condition were passed to DCC.

DCC say they have had to close the road as it has continued to collapse and they say it is no longer safe to allow traffic to travel over the remainder piece of tarmac. If they left it open until work started and someone ended up in the middle of the road collapsing, they would be liable. They are still working with the consultants, considering test and survey results, and looking at 3 possible ways of dealing with the problem.

They clearly need to make a good job in solving this problem and so the disruption now, in the long term should be worth it. If a quick job is done, it would be less disruption now, but the problem could keep coming back, giving more disruption and costing more in the long term.

I understand that some locals move signs and go through. They do so AT THEIR OWN RISK.

I appreciate the disruption to local residents and hauliers. I’m sure DCC do, but people’s safety has to have priority.