Response details:

Dear Cllr Stephanos Ioannou,

101001001545 – Road Safety Chelmsford Road

Thank you for your enquiry. I am sorry to hear about the incident described in Chelmsford Road.

The Council has aspirations to bring forward more 20mph streets in the coming years, and continues to use what funding it can identify to tackle the worst performing junctions and streets on its network with regard to road user injuries. Officers tend to the view that physical measures offer good value in treating streets where a large number of drivers struggle to keep to moderate speeds. But that enforcement activity is the best tool where speeding is concentrated amongst a lawless minority.

I can see by reference to the data available for scrutiny at crashmap.co.uk that Chelmsford Road has witnessed only one recorded injury incident in the last five years. My instinct would be that its lack of width helps moderate the speed of most drivers. But even so, given that it offers a local through route for traffic, by its situation in the historic road network, one might have expected the number to be higher. Allied to this, the description suggests that deliberate poor driver behaviour is the root of the issues now being reported, rather than a street that poses problems for the typical driver.

Speeding is a matter that the police can take action against. The Community Roadwatch programme may be a possible solution to help address driver behaviour. Community Roadwatch aims to reduce speeding in residential areas and gives local residents the opportunity to work side by side with their local Police teams, using speed detection equipment to identify speeding vehicles in their communities. To take part in Community Roadwatch, or to suggest a residential area where there are community concerns around speeding, members of the public can contact CommunityRoadwatch@met.police.uk stating the borough where they live. Enquiries are forwarded to the relevant local MPS Safer Transport Team, who will be in touch.

Regards
Traffic Engineering Manager
Environment and Communities Directorate
Enfield Council

Original enquiry description:

I am writing re the latest incident in Chelmsford road on last Saturday night, Five residents cars were badly damaged by a speeding vehicle which lost control and shut the road off for over two hours,thankfully no-one was injured but at least three of the vehicles are damaged beyond repair.The driver ran off before the police arrived but they managed to discover the owners identity.I am writing to you because this is the latest in a long catalogue of accidents and incidents caused by speeding drivers down this road,lots of families live in this road with young children and schools at both ends of the road attract even more.I am concerned that there will have to be a fatality before the council moves on this situation particularly as my own grand children live with me.Speeding vehicles are a major problem in the area but this road seems to be an attraction,there are some easy solutions to this problem whether the council would consider them viable is another matter but I would appreciate your response and a chance to put my case forward.