Petitions for speed reduction at Grimsby street
It's as the council prepares to consult on new road safety measures to tackle speeding in the area
Residents are urging action to reduce “downright dangerous” speeding at a street corner in Grimsby.
Armstrong Street has long been used as a rat run, and concerned locals say it is fortunate that no one has been fatally injured at the junction with Beeson Street.
Their calls come as the council prepares to consult on new road safety measures to tackle speeding in the area.
Two petitions from from West Marsh Development Trust, which runs a community centre, were formally accepted by the council last week.
One of the petitions called for speed reduction measures at the junction of Beeson Street and Armstrong Street.
The other requested an investigation into alleged anti-social behaviour in Beeson Street, involving late-night car repairs.
A spokesperson for the West Marsh Community Centre said drivers were failing to respect give-way signs at the junction of Armstrong Street and Beeson Street.
“It’s been going on a while, it just comes up more and more again when there’s a near miss,” said the spokesperson. “I think we’ve been very fortunate that no one’s been killed yet.”
Speed-calming measures, whether speed bumps or pedestrian islands, would help to reduce speeds and make it easier to cross the road, the spokesperson said. The issue has a long history, having been raised before the Covid pandemic.
The West Marsh Community Centre has been running for 25 years. In an average week, around 550 people pass through its doors.
Concerns around noise and safety have prompted the complaint about late-night car repairs. “They like repairing cars at 11pm at night,” said the spokesperson.
The work was being done on Beeson Street itself, with cars sometimes parked up to the junction with Armstrong Street. This had prompted safety concerns, including for the mechanics underneath the vehicles.
West Marsh Ward Cllrs Kathryn Wheatley and Karl Wilson are supporting residents.
“There were two petitions that were organised very effectively by the local community ably assisted by Karl and I, and the West Marsh Community Centre, who did an absolutely fabulous job,” said Cllr Wheatley.
“The issues around there need addessing, especially with regards to the anti-social behaviour at stupid times of the day and night. It’s affecting the residents, the amount of noise and general detritus in the road. It’s just not acceptable.”
Cllr Wheatley said it was important to support local enterprises but added:
“If you are wanting to run a business, doing it on a public highways is not the right place.” As for motorists avoiding right-of-way signs, she said it was “downright dangerous”.
Under council plans, the layout of the junction between Armstrong Street and Beeson Street would be altered in order to improve visibility. New pedestrian crossings would be installed near the community centre.
A public consultation will take place on Wednesday, August 2, at West Marsh Community Centre, from 3pm to 6pm. Should the scheme be viewed a success by the community, the council plans to make the changes in 2024.
A council spokesperson said of the consultation:
“North East Lincolnshire Council and its delivery partner, Equans, are holding a public consultation event around a proposed traffic and road safety project along Armstrong Street and the surrounding areas.
“The event is in response to a number of road safety concerns that have been raised to ward councillors by local residents.
The proposals include the introduction of new speed reduction measures on Armstrong Street to lower traffic speeds and discourage rat-running, changes to the Armstrong Street/Beeson Street junction to improve sight lines and junction layout.”
Improved pedestrian crossing facilities near the community centre would “improve road safety and support families with young children in buggies and prams, as well as wheelchair and mobility scooter users to get about the local area more safely”.