Speeding ‘blackout zone’ is ‘terrifying’ and someone will end up dead – council bungle means there’s NO limit

RESIDENTS who live in a speeding “blackout zone” have told how their local council has turned their area into a Speedster’s Paradise. Locals in Bulkington have long complained of the dangers of living on the B4112 between Nuneaton to Coventry.

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John Randall lives next to the busy Nuneaton RoadCredit: Roland Leon

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The stretch of road between the Corner House pub and Peugeot Garage doesn’t have an enforceable speed limitCredit: Roland Leon

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Student Becky Crowter, 19, says she feels unsafe walking homeCredit: Roland Leon

Several spectacular crashes have occurred over the years on the half mile stretch leading into the village, which is lined with houses on one side. But residents comforted themselves in the knowledge that they were living in a 30mph zone and that those speeding were breaking the law and could face punishment.

Now, bizarrely, a driver caught speeding by a police mobile camera, has had his fine repaid and the three points taken off his licence, after learning that there was no Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) in force on that particular stretch of road. It appeared that Warwickshire County Council had voided a 40mph TRO but failed to enact a new 30mph one, making it unenforceable for the police. The driver told Coventry Live: “So the B4112 Nuneaton Road between Chetwynd Drive Nuneaton and Weston Lane Bulkington is not subject to enforceable speed restrictions.

GBP100 and three points returned leaving me again with a clean licence and a rare apology.” A retired police officer, who lives in the affected area but declined to be named, said: “The (30mph) signs are there but you need a TRO. For some reason it has been bypassed by the local authority in control of speed limits.

“There is certainly a speed issue here but so far there have only been injury accidents rather than fatalities so it has escaped attention.’ The stretch of road has two subtle bends but is otherwise straight.

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While investigating the story, The Sun witnessed a car overtaking on a lawful driver while crossing the white ‘no overtaking’ line. Residents say this is standard. John Rendall, 69, said: “It is quite a dangerous stretch of road.

The majority of drivers do what they should be doing but some don’t and they will typically overtake where there is no overtaking.” His wife Liz, 62, added: “It is quite frightening the speeds you see down here, especially as it is a 30mph limit. “I am shocked it is unenforceable.

The Council need to do something to make us safer. There are people along here with children. It’s not safe.”

Paul Lines, 54, an aircon engineer, has had personal experience of just how dangerous the road can be. He lives near a bend in the road and was woken one night by a car smashing through the wall outside and writing off his Jaguar car that was parked on his drive. “Those two young lads were lucky to get out of that alive,” he said. “As someone who has just done a speed awareness course, I am outraged by the speeds people do along here and for it to be unenforceable is disgraceful.

“It is clearly a residential area with houses all the way and street lights but it’s a stretch of road where I’ve seen an HGV overtake a car. “Even turning onto our drive can be a problem because other drivers hoot and overtake. Everyone is in such a rush.

“There have been several major accidents. Another night, a taxi ended up smashing through our neighbours’ gates and ended upside down in a some bushes. “Just a few weeks ago there was another collision involving three cars and we’ve one in the ditch across the road recently.

“You can be watching TV and suddenly you’ll hear a car roaring past. I’m sure a lot of stolen vehicles go up and down here. It’s an alternative road linking Nuneaton and Coventry.”

His wife Jayne, 67, added: “We don’t walk our dogs along the road and our teenage children rarely go out on their bikes and when they do they stay on the pavement because it’s so dangerous. “You wouldn’t want to walk along this road without eyes in the back of your head.’ Farmer Lorraine Friswell, 57, has had personal experience of the dangers.

“I was walking to collect my children from school on this stretch of road when one car went to overtake another, lost control and hit me. “It was an 18 year old driving. I went up in the air and landed on a bonnet.

It left me with two holes in my legs. “That was 14 years ago and nothing changes. We had a driver crash into our hedge only last month.

“It’s a really dangerous road and it needs proper signs or humps or traffic control to keep peoples’ speed down. To think it’s not enforceable is ridiculous.” There are only two 30mph signs on the road but these are triggered by vehicles and one was plainly not working properly as several cars sped past it in excess of 30mph.

Susan Dodd, 70, who has lived on the road for 40 years, said: “It was always a 40 which seemed to work alright then they changed it to 30 and the speeding is just as bad. “It is very confusing. Why have a speed limit if it is not enforceable?

We have had several accidents on the bend and nowadays there is a lot more traffic than there used to be.” Retired pest controller John Vernon, 87, who lives with his wife Marilyn, 83, have seen a lot of accidents over the years. The most extreme featured a young man wrapping his sports car round a lamp-post outside.

“We were having our dinner,” said John, “and the young lad came running into our house, straight through the back door and hid under a mattress in one of our bedrooms. “He was drunk and hiding from his father who also came in after him. It was a proper scene.

“They regularly do 70 and 80mph past here. I heard the man who was let off was doing 110. “I have told the Council that this is bloody dangerous and they need to do something.

It is frightening to stand out there the speed they go by.” His wife Marilyn added: “I can be out there doing the garden and then suddenly a car will go past like a rocket.” Student Becky Crowter, 19, who was walking home from work, said: “I sometimes do feel unsafe walking along here.

It is worse when it is dark and people tend to drive that bit quicker. There is a sharp corner that can catch people out. The road is not as straight as it can appear.”

Bernadette Hayden, 67, a retired careworker, said: “If you stick to 30 along this road you are liable to get overtaken. “We were coming out of the drive the other day and a car speeding up blasted his horn at us. “The road is an accident waiting to happen.”

Her partner ice cream vendor John Rossi, 65, added: “I have seen police out here with their radar guns but if it’s not enforceable, what a waste of time.” Inspector Dave Valente said: “It’s important for us all to remember why posted speed limits exist. Speeding is an ongoing contributory factor in deaths and serious injuries on Warwickshire’s roads.

“As part of the Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership, we are aiming to reduce the number of those killed or seriously injured on Warwickshire’s roads by 50 per cent by 2030. “To achieve this, and to reduce the risk of harm on our roads, motorists should comply with the displayed speed limits at all times. “In doing so they keep others safe, are not likely to face any enforcement action, nor will they need to rely on the possibility of finding a technical loophole if they have driven in a way that endangers themselves and others.

“With all that said, there is an array of powers police can use to ensure that people are using the road safely and considerately.