Leap Gate Community SpeedWatch Scheme

The number of cars, motorbikes, vans and HGVs unable to stop at the pedestrian crossing and the roundabout opposite the Castle Mead School continues to rise due to excessive speeds, endangering the lives of pedestrians going to and from the school, the Co-Op store and the new playground (when completed).

Community SpeedWatchFact, if someone is hit by a car at:

20 mph they are 10% more likely to be killed

30 mph they are 50% more likely to be killed

40 mph they are 90% more likely to be killed


At the June 2017 Area Board Meeting at Wiltshire Council, it was announced that Leap Gate met the Community SpeedWatch threshold and that Castle Mead is eligible for the Community SpeedWatch scheme. Volunteer training will be carried out in the next few months.

If any Castle Mead residents are interested in joining the Leap Gate Community SpeedWatch team, please contact Wiltshire Police at communityspeedwatch@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk


Stopping Distances

Despite raising these issues with them at numerous meetings, Wiltshire Council still refuses to take the concerns of residents seriously, and sadly, it would seem that it will take a serious injury or death before any action will be taken.

To compound these issues, the decision to make Leap Gate a primary route for HGVs adds to the danger already posed to residents and their children. Leap Gate is a narrow corridor running through two densely-populated housing estates, soon to be three, now that Persimmon Homes will be building residential homes, a shop, school and surgery on the land to the west of Biss Farm, making it totally unsuitable for the number of HGVs already using and speeding along this road.

The A350 and A361 remain the most suitable roads for HGVs due to the fact that the areas they serve are less populated and have housing estates which face away from the road and also have some form of sound-buffering.

Please email us at castlemeadresidents@gmail.com if you have had an accident when using Leap Gate or have experienced any incidents when crossing the road to go to the school or Co-Op store.

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