Local business owners and workers have slammed a busy Sherwood road as a 'race track', and want to see speeding motorists stopped. Nottinghamshire Police officers conducted a speed operation on a number of roads in Bestwood, Top Valley and Sherwood, including on Haydn Road.
Five motorists were stopped and advised about their speed on the Sherwood road during the operation on March 22. Seven motorists were stopped on Brownlow Drive in Top Valley with two issued tickets as part of the operation too, and the community there branded that road a 'race track' as well.
One driver was stopped during the operation on Perry Road, and no issues were reported on Queens Bower Road and Beckhampton Road. On Haydn Road, the 20mph road which connect Basford and Sherwood, the junction with Woodville Road, towards the Mansfield Road end, has already been closed off to stop it being used as a rat run.
Read more: 'Crazy' Mansfield mill fire had 'colours of volcano' say those who saw blaze rip through building
But local business owners on the road have voiced concerns at the speeds motorists still travel up and down Haydn Road. One of the main concerns is how long the lights change for at the Mansfield Road junction.
Dave Fryer, owner of The Sherwood Cobbler which is near that junction, said: "It's like a race track here, I don't think the road signs are in the right place to tell drivers of the speed limit. Something needs to be done, it's absolutely crackers. It doesn't help when some roads are blocked off (referring to Woodville Road), but I completely understand it. The lights are not timed properly either.
"I'm not sure what the answer is really because of the flow of the traffic. Since we've come back from Covid, there seems to be more and more traffic on the roads."
Kaia Lampard, a barista at Divine Coffee House, also near the junction, said: "It's a big issue, lots of drivers try to run the lights because of how short the change is. Since the junction (with Woodville Road) was blocked off, I think it's made it worse. I don't think speed humps would work though because cars park either side of the road further down. More speed checks could work that flash up and tell the driver."
One local business manager further down Haydn Road said he still sees problems with traffic further down from the Mansfield Road junction, but doesn't think speed bumps are the answer. He's pleased drivers have been pulled over by police.
Billy Singh, who runs Billy's Convenience Store, said: "Sometimes you get people shooting up and down here. I know there was talk previously about putting speed bumps in, but that would just wreck everyone's cars.
"There are two schools nearby, and motorists should be extra careful with them around. It's such a long road and people go so quickly up and down it. I think it's good some of these motorists are being stopped and have had a word from police. I think that will stop them doing it going forward as you wouldn't want that to happen again, it's almost like being given a yellow card in football."
Labour councillor Rosemary Healy, portfolio holder for transport at Nottingham City Council, said: "We're due to start work shortly on the second phase of traffic-calming measures in the section of Haydn Road close to the shopping area. Having consulted with local residents back in 2019, who told us they were concerned about being able to cross safely, we installed two vehicle-activated electronic speed signs.
"The next part of the project will see us introduce two raised areas across the full width of the road close to the junctions with Devonshire Road and Victoria Road. These measures are designed to further reduce speeds and make it easier for people to cross."
