'Investigation needed' into speeding problems in Luton, say Lib Dems

Speeding traffic proved “way ahead of all other worries” in an annual residents’ survey conducted by opposition group councillors.

“It’s a huge problem the borough council and Bedfordshire Police are failing to deal with,” said Liberal Democrat group leader and Barnfield councillor David Franks.

“So we’re arranging for the local authority’s overview and scrutiny board to carry out a full investigation into the extent of the problem.

“The board will also consider the council’s policy for setting speed limits and the efforts of the authorities to enforce them.

“The concerns from the thousands of survey responses prove the problem isn’t confined to main roads.

“Residents are confirming that many residential back streets, which should be quiet and safe, are often more like race tracks.”

The scrutiny board will examine statistics about the number of drivers caught speeding, what the outcomes are for motorists, the costs to the council and the police, and why enforcement efforts appear ineffective.

“The council’s policy on setting speed limits is a mess,” explained councillor Franks.

“We’ve been complaining for three years about one short journey of less than a mile where drivers encounter eight changes in speed limit.

“It’s mad and nothing has been about it. Crazy situations like this encourage drivers to ignore the limits. Some sense needs to be brought to the policy.”

The route goes from Barton Road into Riddy Lane, then Birdsfoot Lane, Catsbrooke Road and on to Icknield Way.

A council spokesman said: “We work with police and local groups to ensure that safety is achieved, but we cannot manage those that deliberately want to speed.

“This isn’t the responsibility of the council. It’s for the police to enforce.

“Under the road safety partnership, we fund the speed limits and the speed cameras.

“The new average speed cameras recently installed on Dunstable Road are enforced by the police and they issue penalties according to individual cases, including driving licence endorsement.”

The council is the highway authority and has a statutory responsibility for road safety matters within its area, as defined by section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, while Bedfordshire Police is the enforcement authority.

A force spokeswoman said: “The camera enforcement team operates a range of fixed digital and mobile assets within Luton, sited at areas identified by the local authority.

“There are currently nine fixed camera sites and 11 mobile sites.

“Officers from the local policing team and the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire road policing unit also conduct enforcement within Luton.

“The force actively supports national campaigns compiled by the National Police Chiefs’ Council over a wide range of road safety and traffic offence enforcement.

“Speed Watch is a national initiative with groups now active in more than 70 communities in Bedfordshire,” she added.

“It’s an educational scheme aimed at raising awareness of speed restrictions and encouraging drivers to reduce their speed to the legal limits in areas where speeding has been identified.

“Speed Watch isn’t about enforcement.”