Engineers are to be called in in a bid to tackle speeding drivers on a busy residential road where a young child was knocked down.
Police have asked County Hall experts to look at what can be done to slow down traffic in Fulwood Hall Lane, where residents say the new 20mph speed limit is being constantly ignored.
Local officers have referred the problems to the council after carrying out a number of operations including leaflet drops and getting school pupils to talk to drivers caught speeding down the road.
PC Julian Andrews, one of the area’s neighbourhood officers, says he has asked the council to look at whether any engineering work, together with extra signs, could be put in place to tackle the problems.
And council bosses have said they are looking at interactive speed signs, prominent signage and painting the new limit on the floor.
But they warned that if speeding continues, prescutions are the next step.
PC Andrews said: “With the 20mph areas, the responsibility for them actually lies with the county council in partnership with us.
“It is all community orientated up to the point where it goes beyond signage and minor engineering. It has got to the point where we I have gone through most of the things they have asked me to try.”
The move comes six months after eight-year-old Umar Patel was hit by a car on the busy thoroughfare.
A speed survey undertaken earlier this year revealed the mean average speed is more than 10mph above the 20 limit, although PC Andrews said a minority of drivers have been clocked driving at more “extreme” speeds.
“We know it happens because it is visible,” added PC Andrews. “And because I have been at my PACT meetings and people are telling me. I patrol there on a regular basis and I have seen people going too fast and told them to slow down.”
County Coun Tim Ashton, cabinet member for highways and transport at LCC, said: “I’m keen to address the concerns of people in Fulwood that some motorists are doing excessive speeds within the 20mph areas, and welcome the action which has already been taken by the police to work with the community to tackle the problem.”
He said the council was at the “relatively early stages of a programme to change attitudes over the long term”, adding: “We’re planning more work to engage the community in this area, which may include further minor engineering works such as emphasising the 20mph limit by painting signs prominently on the road surface.
“We’re also looking at use of interactive speed warning signs and further speedwatch operations to help educate drivers.
“While this takes place we’ll monitor speeds to see if it makes a difference, but if speeds remain high and there is a potential to prevent accidents, enforcing the limits and prosecution of drivers remains an option.”
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