Concerns are raised about driver speed in Alnwick

And town and county councillor Gordon Castle has admitted there is a problem after witnessing a car hurtling down Swansfield Park Road ‘at about 60mph’ on Saturday.

Police say they are looking to tackle the issue.

A concerned member of the public, who did not want to be named, contacted the Gazette last week about the problem.

The resident expressed his frustration at the excessive speeds that some motorists are doing in certain parts of the town, such as St James Estate, Wagonway Road, Willowburn Avenue, Victoria Crescent and The Cordwainers.

He also raised concerns about the noise coming from the cars, with loud exhausts and engines.

He said: “Some of the speeds they are doing are unreal. I have lived at St James Estate for the best part of 30 years and I have never known anything like it.

“I would say that some of them are doing 50 or 60mph in residential areas, and it is also the sounds of their engines. It is very annoying and a lot of residents feel the same.”

Coun Castle admitted there is a problem.

He said: “It is a growing issue and I will be taking it up with the Neighbourhood Sergeant and asking the police to do a crackdown and start to identify these drivers because it is not acceptable.

“I have had personal experience of this problem. On Saturday, at just after 5pm, a Vauxhall Corsa was travelling at an outrageous speed – I reckon about 60mph – down Swansfield Park Road.

“The driver was going so fast that I couldn’t quite get the full registration number.”

Fellow Alnwick county councillor Heather Cairns suggested that a speed-watch initiative be set-up in Alnwick to try to combat the problem.

Alnwick Neighbourhood Sergeant Sharon Wilmore-Greaves said police have received numerous complaints about speeding motorists and take the issue seriously.

She added that work will be done to target offenders at key times and she is putting plans in place to run a driver-awareness campaign.