Should traffic calming measures be taken in Port St Mary?

That’s the question being asked by the local authority in conjunction with the Department of Infrastructure of householders in the village.

They received a leaflet delivered with the Courier last week, which asked: Do you support the principle of traffic calming? If so, where would benefit?

They asked people to comment on all the main and minor roads and estates, including the high street.

What methods should be used? Options include speed bumps, white lines, speed awareness cameras, home zones, speed limits road narrowing and plateaus.

A discussion by the local authority about traffic calming was prompted several weeks ago by a resident who wrote highlighting traffic issues on Beach Road, where he lives.

He said that the issues there, and introducing a previously discussed village-wide 20mph limit, should be considered as ’two completely different issues’.

Measures suggested to tackle traffic on Beach Road by the Department of Infrastructure and police include white lines down the side of the road, pinch points, use of smiley face cameras, and caution and speed signs.

He wrote that residents support the creation of home zones in estates off Beach Road with a traffic island for crossing to a new bus stop and shelter.

Commissioner Michelle Haywood referred to a study in Bristol on the economic impact of introducing 20mph speed limits.

’They saved something ridiculous like £8.5m from dealing with accidents that did not happen â?¦ regarding the Department of Infrastructure saying there are no accidents therefore do nothing about it. There are cost savings when you significantly reduced speed, it proved there do not have to be a huge number of accidents.’

They agreed to canvass residents.

Comments should be made to the Port St Mary town hall or email [email protected] by April 30.

The leaflet is also available online at www.portstmary.gov.im