Calls for action on Moulton Chapel road after motorist is recorded travelling at 90mph in a 30mph at 8am

Concerned villagers say action needs to be taken after a ‘ridiculous’ motorist was recorded travelling at 90mph in a 30mph zone - at 8am.

The dangerous driver was documented racing through Fen Gate, Moulton Chapel by a speed interactive device.

Moulton Parish Council has been calling for something to be done along Fen Gate for some time but so far the pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

The council is now looking to install banners along the road in a bid to encourage motorists to think twice about putting their foot on the accelerator.

Lawrence Wakefield, chairman of the parish council, said: “It is ridiculous to be doing that speed.

“Action should be taken on Fen Gate - I can see someone getting killed down there.”

Mr Wakefield had heard reports of people being nearly run off the road due to poor driving down there and was himself overtaken in the 30mph zone on Fen Gate by a van in the recent bad weather.

Community Speed Watch (CSW) co-ordinator Jan Whitbourn is disappointed to learn about the latest incident, on Tuesday, September 10, and is urging people to slow down - or the repercussions could be far more serious than a fine.

She said: “We work tirelessly year round to educate local people on the dangers of speeding, through training sessions and going out into the community with the CSW Volunteer Team.

“Sadly, there will always be someone who is going to be late to a meeting, a doctor's appointment or in a hurry for something.

“What people need to realise is that it is better to show up late than not at all. It's better to be late than injuring or killing yourself or someone else.

“While they might not appreciate it at this time, a hefty punishment from a police officer is going to be by far the least worst option for this particular driver. I just hope that they reflect on what the other potential outcomes could have been in this situation and avoid such irresponsible behaviour in future."

Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership has said that the 90mph driver captured by the SID was ‘naturally concerning’ but has questioned whether it could have been an emergency vehicle. No proof has been provided that this was the case.

A spokesman said: “The primary purpose of a SID is to highlight to approaching vehicles what speed they are travelling at and for them to take the opportunity to correct their speed if it is excessive as they enter a residential area. They are also extremely useful for parishes to identify traffic flows, potential speeding issues of concern and provide a reference point which can then be raised with us at the partnership to consider further.

“There are limitations in the accuracy of these devices in that occasionally they create false readings due to how the radar operates within them and do not provide a secondary corroboration as used during an evidential procedure. Therefore, devices used to undertake prosecutions by the police and safety camera teams are configured and operated in a different manner, subjected to a Home Office Type Approval system to provide confidence in their accuracy and reliability before being utilised for justice purposes.

“In relation to both Fengate and the wider county, we remain committed to ensuring that the deployment of speed cameras is transparent, and the locations they are utilised at, complies with the criteria set by the Department for Transport, which includes being able to demonstrate a reduction in speed related casualties.

“As part of this process, in advance of site selection, we undertake monitoring of the location over a full week period through the use of a covert radar device to provide an accurate reflection of what is taking place – these devices are placed to ensure the most accurate and insightful collection of vehicle behaviour is captured to inform further decision making.

“This location was surveyed in November 2022 and the survey revealed an average of 1,700 vehicles per day, with an average speed of 30.7mph, albeit 23.4% of vehicles were exceeding the limit at a threshold that would meet the National Police Chiefs’ Council enforcement threshold.

“However, the location and casualty data does not meet the national criteria set for the deployment of safety camera equipment. Where this situation arises, the information and data is shared with our colleagues at Lincolnshire Police for their information and consideration of action that they may be able to undertake as they are not subject to the same restrictions that the partnership must operate under.

“Moulton Parish Council are members of the Community Speed Watch scheme and utilise speed signs to reinforce the presence of the limit. They also have a number of trained individuals who are able to undertake checks at their allocated sites which can identify persistent speeders which may attract further actions from either the partnership or Lincolnshire Police.

“We will share this latest information with Lincolnshire Police and the community could consider raising speeding with their local neighbourhood teams as a local priority.”

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