'They bomb down the road and treat it like a racetrack'
10:30am Wednesday 1st August 2012 in Where I Live By Anna Slater
Drivers are treating Well End Road like a “racetrack”, residents say.
Police figures revealed that motorists at the bottom of the Borehamwood street have been driving 20mph over the 30mph speed limit.
Brenda Treacher, who lives in Well End Road, says the speed signs are “inadequate” so has taken to buying 30mph stickers to put on her wheelie bin.
“People need to drive with more care. It will just be a matter of time until there is a fatality down here.
“The top of Well End Road is 40mph but there are not enough signs to show where it changes to 30mph.
“It is ridiculous, the county council should do something.”
Mrs Treacher says she welcomes the idea of speed cameras but does not want to see speed bumps installed in the country lane.
Horse ride Sharon Taylor rides from the top of Rowley Lane, which is 60mph, passing the Well End Lane junction by the Mops and Brooms pub where it becomes 30mph.
She said: “Cars from Well End Road bomb it round the corner to join Rowley Lane, but they should be going at 30mph.
“This horse was hit down this stretch of road last week by a driver going faster than they should.
“They treat it like a racetrack and that is very dangerous. It can be quite scary.”
Over the past couple of weeks, the police spent three days on Well End Road monitoring the average speed.
Figures revealed that within a 40 minute period, 23 vehicles were caught driving between 37mph and 48mph.
A second operation showed 15 vehicles speeding between 36mph and 53mph between 5pm and 6pm.
The final operation, carried out at the same time of day, showed 17 cars speeding between 36mph and 50mph.
Councillor Richard Butler, for Kenilworth Ward, is “outraged” by the figures.
He said: “I am really not surprised about this, because the 30mph signage is bent as you go up Well End Road.
“As you turn into Rowley Lane it is a nasty corner, it is not helped when people are speeding.
“This issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible, but the county council seem to be slow moving on everything.”
Hertfordshire County Council said: “We welcome feedback from residents and encourage them to contact us on 0300 123 4047 or report their concerns using our online fault reporting system www.hertsdirect.org/highwayfaults .”
The Borehamwood Times is awaiting further comment from the county council.
