Speed cut hold-up

Campaigners calling for the speed limit to be cut on a busy road used by boy racers have been told they must wait two years for a decision.

Community leaders want the speed limit on Lincoln Road, Newark, cut from 40mph to 30mph.

But Nottinghamshire County Council says a decision will not be made until 2011 after a countywide review.

The beat manager for the area, Pc Sarah Murdoch, said there was a problem with boy racers.

She said police could seize vehicles being driven in a way that caused nuisance, alarm or distress to others. The owner has to pay for the vehicle to be returned.

Pc Murdoch said they had issued at least ten seizure notices in recent weeks.

She said getting the registration number of offending vehicles was key to being able to take action against problem drivers.

Pc Murdoch said they had applied for temporary interactive speed signs on Lincoln Road.

The speed limit reduction is a priority for the Safer Neighbourhood group for the Bridge beat, which covers Lincoln Road.

The group chairman, Mrs Gill Dawn, said: “I am bitterly disappointed to hear of this delay, particularly in view of the way the road is abused by boy racers who still race from McDonalds and KFC up to the Northgate retail park.

“I hope for the county council’s sake that there isn’t an accident within that two years.”

A district councillor for the Bridge area, Mrs Irene Brown, said the road was a death trap.

She said people had to wait a long time to cross safely.

Mrs Brown said: “You’ve got the Bridge Community Centre, St Leonard’s Church, and Sure Start children’s centre on one side, and Bishop Alexander Primary School, the Baptist church and community centre on the other.

“It is a well-used road and crossing. We can all do surveys but how many people have got to die or have a near miss before they decide to do anything?”

The county council’s service manager for highways north, Mr Alan Birt, said: “We are currently carrying out speed limit reviews on A and B roads across the whole county. We are waiting for all the results before prioritising particular routes.

“This will take place in 2011 and Lincoln Road will form part of that review. A puffin crossing will be considered as part of the overall Lincoln Road package.”