Drivers caught speeding in St Peter's all lived on estate

Police carrying out a speed check on St Peter’s Drive found all the drivers breaching the limit lived in the ward.

The check had been arranged in response to concerns raised by local residents about excessive speeding along the road.

PC Louise Steele of West Mercia Police’s Battenhall and Nunnery Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) said the check was carried out during a 45-minute period from 2.15pm to 3pm on a weekday, timed to coincide with the school run period.

Speaking during a Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meeting at St Peter’s Baptist Church, she said: “Speeding is something that comes up regularly,” adding that St Peter’s Drive was often mentioned.

During the check period five drivers exceeded the 30mph limit.

“The lowest recorded was 35mph, the highest 42mph,” said PC Steele, adding: “All of the five were from St Peter’s.”

She said the speeding drivers were “very surprised to see us there”.

Excuses given by the offending drivers included a doctor’s appointment and being late for the school run.

PC Steele said: “Children would like to be picked up and not dealing with a crash.”

The drivers were warned to adhere to the speed limit in future

The issue of speeding along the A4440 Southern Link Road (SLR) was also discussed during the PACT meeting.

St Peter’s parish councillor David Saunders highlighted the associated issue of noise from motorbikes on the highway.

His fellow parish councillor, Paul Walters, who chaired the PACT meeting, said: “A lot of the speeding is quite late at night.”

He added that the speedsters used the SLR as “a loop”, gathering “momentum” as they came off the M5 junction.

Alan Tidy, vice-chairman of the parish council, suggested traffic cameras on the bridges over the SLR could help address the problem, an idea supported by Conservative Steve Mackay, who represents St Peter’s on Worcestershire County Council and Worcester City Council.