Wolviston residents say speeding motorists are risking lives

Villagers have called for traffic-calming measures saying the area is plagued with crashes down to speeding.

They say Wolviston, on Teesside, is being used as a rat-run for the A19 and want Stockton Borough Council to take action.

One campaigner said her car was written off when it was hit by a motorist while parked outside her home.

The council said it was aware of concerns and would work with police to "attempt to change drivers' behaviour".

Residents have collected a 500-signature petition - and say they want to see the introduction of chicanes and a 20mph speed limit.

Accidents in recent months include a man in a mobility scooter suffering nine fractures when he was hit by a car and a crash which took a car's front end off and injured a motorist.

Food bank assistant Joanne Dent said she believed someone would "end up getting killed if we don't do something about it" and make Stockton Borough Council "aware of the seriousness of the problem".

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "The speed through the village is horrendous.

"Day and night, we have constant people driving around here like it's a racetrack. People have told me they've seen two cars side by side racing each other."

Florist Leigh Cameron said her car was written off when it was hit while parked outside her home. She said the other vehicle bounced off a neighbour's car and ended up on its roof.

She said: "They go way too fast through the village.

"I don't think it helps that it's used as a rat run for the A19. It does need traffic calming measures. I think the whole village could warrant being a 20mph."

Wolviston Primary School head teacher Susan Hawes said in a statement she had "deep concerns" that children's safety was "at stake" arriving and leaving school and called for immediate action.

Norma Stephenson, Stockton Council's cabinet member for access, communities and community safety, said: "We're aware of these concerns raised by residents and ward councillors about reckless and dangerous driving.

"While it is the police's legal responsibility to enforce speed limits, we take road safety very seriously and will continue to work with the police and councillors to support them in their attempts to change drivers' behaviour."

A Cleveland Police spokesperson said the force's neighbourhood team officers regularly met residents to discuss their concerns and about 15 drivers had received letters warning them about their speed.

The force added: "There will be further monitoring and should there be a need for further police action then this will be carried out as necessary."

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