Castle Mead Residents' Blog

Strong Support for the Reduction of Speed Along the Newly-Opened Section of Leap Gate. Our online petition calling for a reduction in speed along the newly-opened section of road along Leap Gate, Trowbridge, has reached over 500 signatures within the first few weeks of going live. Set up by residents of Castle Mead, the Persimmon Homes and Charles Church development south of Paxcroft Mead, the petition calls for a lowering in speed limit from 50mph to 40mph, and the re-siting of the 30mph speed-limit sign further down the road to incorporate all the housing along Leap Gate. Although the road has only been open a couple of months, residents living along the main section have witnessed numerous cars driving at excessive speeds both in and out of the estate, with reports, most worryingly, of cars running through the red pedestrian lights. Local residents liken the newly-opened road to “Castle Combe circuit”. “Drivers are completely ignoring the speed limit, racing down the road at spee

There are three national speed limits set by the UK Government:   30 mph on lit roads (sometimes referred to as Restricted Roads) 60 mph on single carriageways 70 mph on dual carriageways and motorways  Local authorities can, at their discretion, set road speed limits at 20mph, 40mph and 50mph, as they see fit. Wiltshire residents' experience of local Highways' discretionary setting of speed limits is one of totally inconsistent speeds being set all over the county, including many changes in speed along one stretch of road. This leads to motorists ignoring the lower speed limits and continuing to drive at the higher speed along the same stretch of road. As the level of policing on our roads and the number of working speed cameras further diminish, it is even more vital for Wiltshire Council to set speed limits responsibly, and to listen to residents' concerns when they are not. The government's drive to reduce road accidents (vehicle and pedestri

The head of Wiltshire Council did not respond to our correspondense, so we were left with no option but to start a petition. Copy of the e-petition with 38degrees below... LEAP GATE PETITION - KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE To: Baroness Jane Scott - Wiltshire Council We ask Wiltshire Council to lower the speed limit on the newly-opened section of Leap Gate, to put into effect traffic-calming measures and to stop actively promoting the use of this road as a bypass for all local traffic, especially HGVs. Why is this important? Leap Gate runs through two densely-populated family estates, Castle Mead and Paxcroft Mead, which are served by two primary schools. Since the new stretch of Leap Gate opened in June, HGVs, cars and motor bikes constantly exceed speed limits, putting the lives of residents and their children in danger. Motorists also regularly run the red lights at the Castle Mead pedestrian crossing, endangering the lives of those using it, most vulnerable of whom are childr

Since Wiltshire Council opened the remaining stretch of Leap Gate in June 2016, it has become increasingly dangerous for everyone, especially for our children and the elderly. Residents who have lived along the 30mph stretch of Leap Gate from Green Lane to the roundabout for more than two years have noticed that both vehicle speeds and the volume of traffic have increased. This makes crossing the road very dangerous for pedestrians and difficult for motorists coming out of the side roads. The pedestrian crossing sited near the roundabout should provide a safe place for parents and their children to cross, going to and from school, but there have been a number of incidences where speeding cars and HGVs have run the red lights at the crossing, nearly running them over. This is because vehicles are not slowing down to 30mph from the 50mph stretch of Leap Gate. We are calling for Wiltshire Council to extend the 30mph zone in line with housing along Leap Gate and to lower the 50mph

In 2015, residents of Castle Mead and Paxcroft Mead estates, together with residents living in the Hilperton Gap locality, campaigned Wiltshire Council, protesting against the proposed 50mph speed limit along the Hilperton Gap relief road and the proposed 40mph and 50mph speed limits along Leap Gate. We were unsuccessful at convincing Wiltshire Council to lower the 50mph speed limit along the Hilperton Gap relief road, but we were successful for Leap Gate. The Paxcroft Mead end of Leap Gate remained at 40mph, but the speed limit on the Castle Mead stretch between Green Lane and 100 metres past the roundabout was lowered to 30mph. This left the short, as yet unopened, stretch of Leap Gate towards West Ashton Road set at the proposed 50mph, even though there is a row of houses facing onto the road along this stretch. After months of corresponding with Highways, we decided to write to the head of Wiltshire Council to make her aware of the issues that residents of both estates have

Leap Gate in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, runs through the heart of two densely-populated family estates which are served by two primary schools, Castle Mead and Paxcroft Mead. The proposed plan for Leap Gate has changed several times since the Land at East Trowbridge Development Brief was adopted in September 2004. As stated in Wiltshire Council's brief, traffic noise is to have as little impact as possible on the residents of both estates. Excerpt below....... Noise 2.13 Potential noise sources adjoining the site are identified as being road traffic noise from the proposed distributor link road. The effects of this on both the new development and the existing neighbouring residential properties to the site should be mitigated, with particular care taken on the narrow corridor that forms the extension of Leap Gate as far as Green Lane. Rather than reducing car-dependence and discouraging vehicle-use along Leap Gate, Wiltshire Council has done the exact opposite with the cond