Speeding drivers cause safety fears in Greater Manchester village

Speeding drivers are causing safety fears in a Stockport village. Cars going "faster than they should" on Compstall Road in Romiley have led to plans for more traffic restrictions along sections of the street.

Stockport council is planning to create a refuge island and use double yellow lines to reduce anti-social driving and increase safety in the area.

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The plans include changes to bus stop locations near the junction of Compstall Road and Waterloo Road.

Coun Mark Roberts said when he first became a councillor, a resident had contacted him with frustrations about not being able to cross the road due to safety concerns.

He added: "The need for crossings and those islands in the road to make it easier is something we've been pursuing for some time.

"Residents have repeatedly raised concerns about speeding on Compstall Road. Measures put in place last year will help to narrow the road and therefore reduce speeding, as will these measures.

"It's not going to stop every idiot from driving in an anti-social way, but all of these measures are part of that solution.

"Unfortunately, it's really hard to fund large scale road upgrades, we have to apply for small pots here and there.

"But this is all part of that wider look of making it more accessible for people to cross the road here."

Four residents objected to the changes, submitting letters sharing worries about the impact on parking and whether a new crossing could create an obstruction to drivers on the road.

Council officers amended the plans based on the feedback, by reducing the 'no waiting at any time' restrictions on the southern side of Compstall Road by 5.5m.

Coun Angie Clark said: "It's a very important safety matter. We are very aware that there are school children travelling to Werneth and to Marple Hall crossing the road there.

"It's a road where traffic goes faster than it should. To put the crossing where we're hoping it goes has meant that the bus stops have had to be moved, and that did cause a little bit of controversy last year."

She added that councillors went door knocking to speak to residents about the plans, and the majority "absolutely understood" the reason for a crossing on the road.

The work is set to be funded by the government’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement and Transforming Cities Funding.