Police stop 'large number' of speeding drivers on Melton's new partial bypass
Police say ‘a large number’ of drivers were stopped for speeding during an evening monitoring traffic on Melton Mowbray’s new Pork Pie Way.
Officers have highlighted comments from motorists who were stopped indicating their confusion over driving guidelines on the partial bypass, which opened last month and links the A606 Nottingham Road to the north of the town with the A606 Burton Road to the south.
The new route is a single carriageway connected by six roundabouts and speed limits of 40mph and 60mph on various legs of the road.
Pc Ben Tranter, a Dedicated Neighbourhood Officer (DNO) for the Melton Rural South beat, posted on the force’s Facebook page yesterday (Wednesday): “I have been asked to assist the rural north and town north with dealing with reported traffic issues on the new Pork Pie Way - speeding and anti-social use of the road.
“Last night I was up there and stopped a large number of vehicles that were speeding."
He said drivers that were stopped by officers had ‘all sorts of odd ideas about the speed limit along the 40mph stretch’.
Pc Tranter said some motorists mistakenly thought this stretch had a 70mph limit, even though it is a single carriageway and not a dual carriageway.
A few also falsely believed it was a 60mph limit despite, he pointed out, an absence of national speed limit signs and ‘numerous 40mph repeater signs’ along it.
And one driver thought that street lamps denoted the speed limit to be 30mph or 40mph which he said did not officially set the rules for a speed limit for a specific stretch of road.
Pc Tranter added: “The lack of observation and understanding of road signs shown by some drivers may explain why standards of driving are often so poor and we suffer casualties like we do."
No speeding tickets were issued during this monitoring exercise, say Leicestershire Police – officers gave advice to drivers who were stopped.
Pork Pie Way has a 40mph speed limit on the northern stretch – from the Nottingham Road roundabout to the one connecting with Melton Spinney Road.
A 60 mph restriction is on the longer, eastern and southern stretches running down to the A606 Burton Road roundabout.
The Melton Times asked Leicestershire County Council why the respective speed limits have been set on the new bypass route.
A spokesperson told us: “The northern section is 40mph because, as can be seen from the new road, some houses have already been built.
“As further housing comes forward in this area, the lower speed limit helps to ensure a safer environment for residents, pedestrians and local traffic.
“The eastern section is 60mph as it is separated from the built environment.”
On when the new road will be signposted for drivers with the name chosen by residents, the spokesperson commented: “There will be street name plates for Pork Pie Way and we are in the process of identifying locations and arranging their installation.
“You’ve probably seen that Pork Pie Way is already identified on mapping apps.”
What are your observations on the new bypass way if you’ve driven along it – email [email protected] with your comments.