Residents breaking the speed limit are ‘not respecting their community’, an Isle of Wight councillor has said.
Green Party representative Claire Critchison has urged people to take part in neighbourhood speed watching and would like to see 20-mile-per-hour limits in both the Niton and Whitwell village centres.
The council member for Chale, Niton and Shorwell said speeding is the issue most frequently raised by residents who ‘so badly’ want to ‘see something done’, when she spoke at Niton and Whitwell Parish Council last week.
She said:
“Our options are very limited. The police can’t be there enough – I’ve requested them again to come to Whitwell – Kemming Road and the High Street – and Blackgang Road in Niton. They are three hotspots I get asked for continuously.”
Cllr Critchison said having speedwatch data would result in a better chance of an intervention.
But Parish Councillor Chris Ould said a lot of people don’t want to get involved, warning of ‘abuse’ and ‘confrontation’. He told parishioners of a police officer who pulled over 2 drivers in the area and had to ‘radio for help’.
He said:
“They got pretty shirty about being stopped. They were both arrested and taken away. The public shouldn’t be subject to that. That’s why people don’t sign up.”
Cllr Critchison said speed watching can happen as much as a group want, whether it be every week, month or twice a year.
