Sandwich pensioner continues campaign to stop speeding on Sandown Road in Sandwich
Published: 00:01, 01 May 2015
A pensioner in Sandwich will not give up his fight to stop speeding in Sandown Road.
Iain Fairweather, 77, believes there should be 30mph repeater signs on the road to remind people of the speed limit, which he says is being ignored.
He has been liaising with Sandwich Town Council and Ryan Shiel, a traffic engineer at Kent County Council, to try and find a resolution.
He claimed he was told by KCC that repeater signs are unenforceable for the 30mph road.
He said: “Even if it’s unenforceable, at least it reminds people.
“They come out of Sandwich from a built up area into a rural area with no houses so they think it’s clear.”
He said there had been damage to lamp-posts on the road, and vehicles careering into two or three gardens.
He said: “If they can hit street furniture, it’s quite likely a person will be hit too.”
Mr Fairweather said the road wasn’t judged a high priority because there had been no fatalities.
Reports of people driving at 79mph have been reported to the council.
Mr Fairweather said that he was now hoping to start a petition to demand action.
A spokesman for Kent County Council said:“Managing the speed of traffic is essential to continue reducing casualties. Kent Police are responsible for the enforcement of local speed limits.
“We have to make tough decisions on where to improve traffic and road safety. We have to say ‘no’ more than we’d like, especially if the request won’t reduce casualties. We look at the sites most in need of improvement first, which have got the support of the whole community.”
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Emily Stott