'Cabstand cause of our rat run'

CONCERNED parents are pressing for immediate action on drivers racing down their street in Portishead.People living on Slade Road say they are taking their life in their hands each time they step out of their doors because of drivers using the road as a short cut to avoid the Cabstand traffic lights.The Slade Road Action Group has been campaigning for traffic calming measures along the street since the new traffic light system was installed.It asked for a no left turn from Avon Way into Slade Road to be considered in a bid to reduce traffic levels using the road as a rat run.North Somerset Council says it is planning to look at the issues and draw up a plan for traffic calming measures, but the work will not start until next year.But local residents say a year is too long to wait and fear unless safety measures are put in place immediately, someone will be injured or killed.Slade Road Action Group chairman Reyna Knight said: "Residents with young children are having a real job walking safely along Slade Road and really feel their youngsters are in danger."I have seen motorists driving down there in excess of 35mph."Not only is it a narrow residential street, but cars park either side of the road which makes it even more dangerous."We have been asking North Somerset highways to do something for months and months and need measures put in place now before a child is injured or killed."North Somerset Council highways chiefs said they had carried out a number of surveys to assess traffic issues in the street.North Somerset Council spokesman Stephen Makin said: "We have carried out speed surveys at the northern and southern ends of Slade Road."These have shown no particular speeding issues."We have programmed into our work schedule a local safety scheme which will look at accident history and prevention at the junction of Coombe Road and Slade Road."We will involve residents in this process and hope to have the scheme designed this financial year to be introduced next year.