Average speed cameras have been installed on the A46 to reduce safety risks along an accident black spot, but a business owner is calling for speeds to be lowered further, writes Faye Hatcher and Saskia Kennedy.
This week, the speed limit on the A46 near Pitchcombe junction has been reduced from 50mph to 40mph.
Commercial Director and business owner of Kitchen Garden Food Limited, James Horwood, has welcomed the speed reduction at Pitchcombe, but believes the limit along Salmon Springs needs to be reduced to 30mph.
He told Stroud Times: “A few years ago I pushed the highways agencies to improve the speed limit on that stretch of road, specifically outside the salmon Springs Trading Estate, where our businesses is, after an old lady sadly died after she was hit by a car on the sharp bend outside salmon Springs.
“I suggested not only for the speed limit to be reduced to 30mph, but for there to be improved street lighting and much better signage warning of pedestrians.
“Subsequently, no action was really taken – there were studies which monitored speed 24 hours a day, seven days a week and those studies came back to say that actually most drivers were driving below the 40mph speed limit that’s in place and that the road wasn’t suitable for 30mph limit, so I was quite surprised to see speed cameras suddenly appear here.
“Further along towards Painswick, I am pleased to see the speed limit drop from 50mph to 40mph, however there appears to be no grace period or forewarning about the speed cameras and I do believe it’s going to catch a few people out, initially.
“While I think it’s a great idea to improve the safety of this road, there should have been clearer communication in the build up. Despite all of that, the stretch of road I pushed so hard to make safer still remains at a 40mph limit with no additional safety measures for pedestrians and the same dangerous issues with crossing between Stratford Park and Salmon Springs.”
Gloucestershire County Council said there had been 10 crashes in which people were killed or seriously injured on the road since 2020.
A spokesperson for Gloucestershire County Council said: “Most road deaths in our county occur on rural roads with higher speed limits. We have installed average speed cameras along the A46 between Stroud and Painswick as part of the council’s strategy to halve the number of people killed and seriously injured.
“We have reduced the speed limit to 40mph between Stroud and Painswick after consultation with the local community highlighted concerns about speeding and safety at side road junctions. This new speed limit has received support from the community and it went live on May 7.”
