A CALL for speed cameras in the south of the district has been echoed by a Long Preston councillor and resident who wants to see speed restrictions and average or fixed speed cameras in his village and along the A65 and the A682 that goes to Gisburn.

Cllr Chris Moorby, district ward councillor for Long Preston and Hellifield, says he has been concerned about the speed of traffic travelling though Long Preston for years and has been trying to get North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire Police to jointly come up with a solution.

Speaking at last week’s Skipton and Ripon Area Constituency Committee meeting, Cllr Moorby highlighted his village’s problems and told members a Change.org petition for fixed and average speed cameras - found here at: https://bit.ly/3JjP386 - had already garnered almost 800 signatures.

He reminded members that at one time the A682 was classed as the most dangerous rural road in England.

He said: “Last year Long Preston Parish Council installed a Vehicle Activated Sign through the Parish Council precept.The data that can be retrieved from these units is amazing, it logs every vehicle.

“The frequency of high speeds is unacceptable in a community where many elderly, infirm and very young people live. It suggests that many motorists, 11,700 of them, consider the 30mph speed limit to be optional and that there were 11,700 chances of someone to be knocked down by a speeding vehicle. It also suggests that this happens roughly 165 times per day.”

Cllr Moorby said, ironically, a police vehicle without its blue lights flashing even triggered the Vehicle Activated Sign near the pelican crossing.

He added: “A few years ago a motorcyclist was killed in a collision at Hospital Bridge near the almshouses.

“Another incident, a few years ago, involved an HGV that couldn’t stop for the pelican crossing and careered into the war memorial, If the driver had hit the tree instead I think he would have been killed.

“Another HGV nearly demolished a barn in the centre of Long Preston in its efforts to avoid a car. My stepdaughter was knocked down on the pelican crossing and was laid in the road until an ambulance arrived. This is just one of three that I know about on the pelican crossing.

“Numerous vehicles have crashed at the junction of the A65 and A682. I could go on describing accidents in the village including a car on it’s roof, cars mounting the pavements and so on and so forth. But, of course this is just Long Preston.”

Cllr Moorby continued: “I have read in the local press, social media and just last week seen the television coverage of the problems that the people of Cowling are facing on a daily basis.

“The introduction of cameras would help build a blended/multi layered approach to speed enforcement – fixed cameras, average speed cameras and mobile cameras. Unfortunately, the reliance only on mobile cameras means the strategy is a single approach, and isn’t enough, despite their obvious success at the time they are deployed.

“A great deal of engineering work has been carried out by North Yorkshire County Council in Cowling, for which the residents are, no doubt, very grateful, but I’m afraid it hasn’t cured the problem of speeding traffic.

“How many more people are to be killed or seriously injured on North Yorkshire’s roads before North Yorkshire Council and the police do something?

“A few years ago Lancashire County Council installed average speed cameras on the A682 from Gisburn to Barrowford resulting in a tremendous fall in accidents.

“At the same time the same council installed a 50mph speed limit from the Yorkshire, Lancashire border to Gisburn. They are now installing average speed cameras on this section.

“Lancashire and other County Councils can see the benefits of speed cameras. Why can’t North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire Police see the benefits?

“North Yorkshire along with Durham are the only counties in England that don’t have a policy for fixed speed cameras I hope that will change for North Yorkshire.

“I have heard that the police, fire and crime commissioner Zoe Metcalfe is going to carry out a review on speed cameras, but as far as I’m aware this will take over a year. Action is needed now.”