Problems with speeding cars along one of the main road arteries through West Leeds have been flagged by local residents attending Armley Forum.
The forum met last night online for the first time since the pandemic started last year – and concerns were expressed about the disruption speeding drivers were causing nearby householders as they sped down the A647 in Armley.
Calls were made to reduce the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph on the stretch of road in Armley, with residents speaking about the ‘overwhelming noise’. One said:
“There are so many accidents and near misses caused by speeding that don’t get reported, as well as the general noise. The limit’s 40mph on that stretch, but people are doing 50 to 60mph, particularly when the roads are quieter. the general and repeated noise from speeding cars is unbearable.”
Another spoke about problems around Pasture View and Pasture Mount and said:
“Kirkstall Road has a similar amount of traffic on it, and that’s 30mph. Arguably it’s a less residential area. Why can’t we have the same?”
There were also calls for permanent speed cameras on the road.
Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) Inspector Phil Gill sympathised with the complaints. He said:
“You’ll find those complaints echoed along this stretch of road and into Bramley, Pudsey and Calverley & Farsley.”
He said a police van stationed on the road did help slow traffic, but that only solved the problem during the ‘limited’ times police were present. He said it wasn’t possible for police to be there all the time.
Forum chair Jim McKenna* said Armley councillors had unsuccessfully tried to get the speed limit reduced on the road to 30 miles an hour. He added: “We will continue to fight for it and will raise it again with Highways.”
Representatives from the council’s Highways Department will be invited to speak on the issue at the next Armley Forum meeting.
The complaints came as council officials provided an update to Armley Forum members on progress on £20 million work to the A647 corridor – from Thornbury Roundabout, past Dawsons Corner in Pudsey to the Armley Gyratory – which will include the creation of new bus priority works that will shave up to six minutes off bus journeys.
WLD reported on calls for a reduced speed limit on the A647 in Armley back in 2018. Community speed watch days run by local residents and police were also held following a spate of fatal accidents on the road. WLD has repeatedly followed similar concerns about speeding and noise on the A647 in the Pudsey/Thornbury area, with calls for permanent speed cameras in the area leading to Dawsons Corner.
Armley Forum is run by Leeds City Council’s Inner West Community Committee.
* Jim McKenna is standing for election at the Armley Ward at the 6 May elections. The full list of candidates is: Richard Chaves-Sanderson – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition; Tamas Kovacs – Conservative Party; Andrew Alexander Martin – Social Democratic Party; Jim McKenna – Labour Party; Mark Terence Rollinson – Green Party; Dan Walker – Liberal Democrats. Election statements from candidates can be found here.
You’ll probably find, late at night those high speeds are from drivers, not legal anyway, so as usual fixed cameras will catch Mr & Mrs Bloggs just over the arbitrary limits. They won’t stop illegal/dangerous/drunk/ drug drivers on their nightly deliveries.