Calls have been made for more action to tackle speeding along Thamesdown Drive as police battle speeding drivers during the lockdown.

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson joined borough councillors in calling for the action along the 40mph road.

There have previously been calls for speed traps on the dual carriageway. But Wiltshire’s deputy police and crime commissioner said there were no plans to install fixed cameras in the county. 

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Stock image of a traffic camera

Over the past fortnight, officers from Gablecross police station and the force’s roads policing unit have caught a number of drivers flouting the 40mph limit along Thamesdown Drive. 

They include a Mercedes driver clocked doing 87mph last Saturday – 47mph above the speed limit. 

Swindon Police’s Sgt Connor Crespin said: “It’s just flabbergasting how many people are speeding on Thamesdown Drive.

"We will continue to do speed checks for the next month.”

He suggested there might be a link between speeding and the lockdown. “They want to put their foot down because it’s a release for them.”

There have long been calls for speed traps along Thamesdown Drive. In 2017, the borough council installed traffic cameras along the North Swindon route.

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Thamesdown Drive Picture: DAVE COX

MP Justin Tomlinson said: “I have every sympathy on this issue. I’ve organised public meetings to try and bring together councillors and the police commissioner together. I’ve welcomed Swindon Borough Council’s efforts to make some improvements, but I think they need to push harder on the police commissioner because I think you would struggle to find anyone in the northern sector who doesn’t agree more should be done on Thamesdown Drive.”

Coun Vinay Manro, a ward councillor for Priory Vale, said: “Speeding along Thamesdown Drive and other roads is something which concerns many residents in Priory Vale and surrounding areas, myself included. 

“In the summer of 2019 Swindon Borough Council Highways undertook some traffic monitoring following Councillors requests and in response to residents concerns.

“I recall discussing some of the police enforcement action from 2019, and was surprised at the high percentage of those stopped for speeding being local residents from Priory Vale, St Andrews, Haydon Wick, Blunsdon. 

“The results highlighted a low percentage of issues, given the high traffic volume which uses the road daily. However, it did bring about some changes to traffic light timings to assist with improved traffic flow.

“I continue to work with PCC Angus MacPherson and Wiltshire Police to push for proportionate responses to speeding and red light jumping on Thamesdown Drive.

“Our local officers in North Swindon and the Traffic Team are doing a fantastic job to address concerns. I fully support the increased enforcement on Thamesdown Drive.”

Deputy police and crime commissioner Jerry Herbert said he understood people’s concerns about speeding motorists and the chief constable had been asked to step up speed checks. 

“Whilst Wiltshire’s roads are generally very safe and much of the motoring public responsible, a small minority are reckless in their use of the road network, and the police will continue to target this behaviour with enforcement action,” he added.

He said the police and road safety partnership, which is includes councils, fire brigade, police and others, was using mobile speed checks and had no plans to install fixed police cameras.