Call for action to deal with speeding drivers in Bedlington

Joanne Hogg claimed that speeding is a “massive problem” on the B1331 in Bedlington, between the Red Lion Pub and the village of Nedderton.

The road runs close to Meadowdale Primary Academy, What a Hoot Day Nusery, St Benet Bishop Catholic Academy and Bedlington West End Primary School.

Mrs Hogg raised the concerns at a meeting of the Cramlington, Bedlington and Seaton Valley Local Area Council. She called on the council to take action before there was a fatal crash.

She said: “There is a huge issue with speeding vehicles. It is ridiculous, all day and all night speeding along there.

“We can’t keep a school patrol because the road is too dangerous. There’s been mention of a 20mph zone, but we need traffic calming measures.

“Someone is going to die on that road. There’s four schools on that road, is there anything the council is going to do about it?

“It’s a massive problem. We do have congestion in the morning or at night when people are dropping off or picking up their kids, but that is all.”

Cllr Malcolm Robinson, the area’s ward councillor, has campaigned for a number road safety improvements on this route over the years.

He said that the council had recently agreed to reduce the speed limit on the road to 20mph. Flashing repeater signs would also be installed to encourage drivers to stick to the limit.

But Mrs Hogg was not convinced. She said: “They won’t make any difference. They’re not going to pay any attention.”

The meeting’s chairman, Cllr Mark Swinburn, explained the process that the council would go through before looking at enforcement and traffic calming.

He said: “I can completely sympathise. The process they have to go through is bringing in the 20mph zone, waiting for a while and then monitoring the speed.

“That has to be in place first before they can put any speed humps in. Please, bear with us.”