SPEED campaigners in Purton may see their hopes to impose a 20mph limit through their village dashed after a survey revealed it would not make any difference.

Metro counts conducted over the summer picked up the speeds of more than 25,000 vehicles passing through the village and registered 85 percent of vehicles travelling slower than 35mph.

Campaigners had hoped to set up a Community Speed Watch group and have been calling for lower speeds for months with a petition circulating throughout the village.

The group welcomed speed lobbyist Rod King MBE to speak on the topic last month as part of his national campaign to make all residential roads 20mph.

Wiltshire councillor for Purton, Jacqui Lay said while the results were relatively low, further metro counts can be called for.

“There have been two recent metro counts taken in the village during July - 27,971 vehicles were checked," she said.

"The 85th percentile was 34.7mph. This unfortunately means no further action is required.

“As both results showed the 85th percentile lower than 35mph there is no further action. It would be only if the speed had been above 35mph that a Community Speed Watch would be eligible.

“I suspect one of the reasons the speed was so low could have been that the village was still in shock after a terrible accident recently, and many people were travelling slowly plus it also was the summer holidays hence the traffic passing through may have been less.

“The parish council can request further metro counts and it may be that if residents feel that these should be done you could let the parish council know.

"I noticed recently that at Lyneham there were two very close together – one at the 40mph limit as you come in from Royal Wotton Bassett and the other exactly on the 30mph limit just up the road.

"Perhaps having one at Cricklade Road at Clardon House and another just over the bridge down towards Widham Farm might be good locations.

“The issue of bringing a 20mph limit to Purton I understand may be discussed at the Parish Council meeting on Monday.”

Purton mum Lianne Smith, who has been helping organise the campaign to reduce the speed limit, said a number of different options could be considered. She added: “People have been actively asking for safety measures for quite some time,” she said.

“This started because we wanted to see what the residents of Purton wanted, and as a result we had to alter a few things. Everyone tends to have different ideas, as Some people have issues with parking in certain areas, and others are more concerned about speed.

“From one side of the village to another, everyone has something they would like to change, so we thought if we could at least achieve a slower speed through the village as a momentum for new safety zones, that would help initially.”

The subject will be discussed at the Purton Parish Council meeting on Monday evening at 7pm at the Village Hall. All are welcome.