ROAD safety campaigners have clocked drivers reaching speeds of more than 80mph in residential areas of Rodborough. Rodborough Road Safety Working Group has been working with police to monitor speed in 30mph zones.

During the one week operation they found 14 incidents of motorists driving at speeds topping 70mph.

The highest recorded speed was 86mph along the A46 Bath Road- nearly three times the speed limit.

Three police approved speed detection devices were placed around Rodborough one in the Butts, Walkley Hill , one along the A46 Bath Road and a third on Butterow Hill.

Charles Pedrick, chairman of the group who lives in Rodborough Lane, said the figures were an ‘absolute shock’.

“Lots of families live along these routes and to think that motorists are coming through doing double, nearly triple the speed limit is horrifying,” he said.

The Government’s Think campaign recently publicised the statistic that if a car hits a pedestrian at 30mph they would have a 80 per cent chance of living, but if hit at 40mph they would have a 80 per cent chance they would not survive. Also country roads, like those around the Stroud area, are responsible for 54 per cent of all road fatalities.

Mr Pedrick was particularly concerned with the time of day some of the incidents took place.

“There was a driver who clocked 82mph at 3.20pm, which is right when primary schools would be finishing” he said.

“These people are of all ages and both sexes, not just traditional joy riders and boy racers. It’s a big problem” added Mr Pedrick.

A long-time campaigner for road safety, Mr Pedrick’s group have put forward several low-cost methods of slowing drivers including planting trees to get drivers to appreciate a road’s narrowness.

Inspector Andy Poole, of Gloucestershire police, said: “We will continue to enforce the speed limits of the roads throughout Rodborough. Clearly if a vehicle is identified travelling significantly above the speed limit, the driver would not be given the option of a training course or a fixed penalty but would be reported for summons to appear at court.”