This Swindon speed trap has claimed a number of drivers in the past year – and few realise that it’s a 30mph zone.

The Great Western Way goes from a 50mph to a 30mph limit just before the Barnfield roundabout. It remains a 30 zone up to the Bruce Street Bridges roundabout.

The spot is well-known to the police, with officers regularly conducting speed checks from opposite B&Q. The Adver even went out on patrol with Wiltshire Police’s traffic officers there last May.

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Great Western Way, between Bruce Street Bridges and Barnfield Picture: GOOGLE

But in recent months, drivers up before the magistrates’ court in Swindon have suggested it’s not clear.

Drivers caught at high speeds

Earlier this week, plumber Daniel Baynham, 25, was fined £660 and given six points after he was caught doing 68mph in the 30mph zone in his Mercedes CLA220 on December 3 last year.

His lawyer, Rob Ross, said there was some confusion over the limits on the road. That was echoed by chairman of the bench Joanna Cadzow, who said: “You were going very, very fast in a 30mph zone but we understand there is a bit of confusion. It’s a dual carriageway, the speed changes and it can be a little confusing but it is still very, very fast."

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Swindon Magistrates' Court Picture: DAVE COX

Just days earlier, magistrates banned Lee Black from the roads for three years. The 31-year-old was behind the wheel of a BMW 118, racing down the road between Barnfield and Bruce Street Bridges at 59mph. He later failed to provide a sample of breath.

Following the case, PC Jasmin Windsor-Hichens said: "This driver put lives at unnecessary risk but going nearly twice the speed limit and showed a disregard for the law by failing to provide a sample when asked to do so. There is no cheating the system and failure to provide a specimen is taken very seriously by the courts.”

And in January, 22-year-old Nythe man Kieran McGarvie admitted speeding in his BMW 235. Police said officers had caught him doing 54mph in the 30 zone. Magistrates imposed six penalty points and fined McGarvie £322.

The councillor's view

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Coun Kevin Small Picture: ADVER

Coun Kevin Small, a ward councillor for the area, suggested that safety signs could be installed – although he said speed signs were already in place and drivers should be slowing anyway on the approach to the roundabout.

“There is no reason why they shouldn’t see those signs. The problem is you’ve got a stretch of road that people just see as a dual carriageway and it’s easy to put the foot back down on the accelerator even though in a very short space of time you’re going to be coming up to Bruce Street Bridges,” he said.

Residents in Mannington Park and Barnfield had “extreme trouble” trying to get out onto the roundabout when cars were speeding down the road, Coun Small added.

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Bruce Street Bridges Roundabout Picture: DAVE COX

No plans for more signs

Swindon Borough Council said there was no plan to install further signage. 

A council spokesman said: “The motorists who were caught speeding in this location chose to break the law and ignored some very clear signage which highlighted they were entering a 30mph zone. The signs that are in place are entirely appropriate for this location.

“There really is no excuse for drivers to be speeding on this short stretch of Great Western Way, but we are aware that locally and nationally there is evidence of speeds increasing during the lockdown periods.”