Petition - Fell Drive – Speed Sign Request

Response from Hampshire County Council, September 2018

Thank you for your petition requesting ‘dot matrix’ signs to be installed on Fell Drive and Twyford Drive.

I should clarify that it is Hampshire County Council’s responsibility, as the Highways Authority, to consider installing the type of Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS)  that you refer to.  The Department for Transport would not provide these signs, although they do supply the guidance that we comply with.

Our policy is that permanent VAS’s, including Speed Indicator Devices (SID’s) or Speed Limit Reminder signs (SLR’s), are reserved for locations with a proven casualty record.  We deliberately reserve the use of permanent electronic safety signs to locations that have particularly stubborn injury accident problems where other casualty reduction measures have proved to be ineffective.  This policy helps to ensure that the relatively few permanent VAS’s on the highway retain their prominence and effectiveness.  We also try to avoid use of the signs that display vehicle speeds, as their use seems limited when compared to those replicating warning signs.

We do support the use of temporary electronic signs (usually SLR’s), but only for short term deployments of two weeks at a time to help ensure that they provide the maximum impact to motorists.  The County Council does operate its own programme of SLR’s or SID’s and these are usually operated by Parish or Town Councils and some District or Borough Councils.

Unfortunately, in Gosport no such scheme currently operates and Gosport Borough Council no longer has a programme of SLR’s following termination of their traffic management agency agreement with the County Council in 2009.  However, we are aware that SLR’s can be a useful tool and we are considering if there may be some potential to explore this further in the future in areas like Gosport that currently have no provision.

As previously explained, the Police are responsible for speed enforcement and ongoing concerns should be referred to them.  Should there be sufficient local interest, residents may wish to consider enrolling in the Community Speed Watch initiative.  This is managed by the Police and allows the local community to be trained as police support volunteers and take action against speeding on the roads of concern within their area.  Further details can be found via the following link - https://www.hampshire.police.uk/police-forces/hampshire-constabulary/areas/careers/careers/police-support-volunteers/community-speedwatch/

I hope this clarifies the position.

Yours sincerely

Councillor Rob Humby
Executive Member for Environment and Transport