Villagers calling for safety extra measures to deal with speeding rat-runners

More than 50 residents of Adwick-on-Dearne attended a public meeting on Tuesday evening – and a petition of over 100 names has been raised.

Cllr Ian Boydon, chair of the village’s parish council, said: “There have been quite a few accidents in the village. We are concerned that someone is going to get killed.”

The main issue is fast Harlington Road traffic heading between the Mexborough, Wath and Bolton-on-Dearne areas and central Doncaster.

“It’s a bit of a rat run,” said Cllr Boydon. “People see it as a quieter, possibly quicker way, and we get a fair amount of trucks as well – not as many as we used to but more than we would like.

“You take your life in your hands walking along here. A few months ago a car came off the road and went through a resident's wall onto his driveway, throwing lumps of stone onto his car in the process.

“That was at 1am but if it had been another time, there could have been someone on the pavement there.”

The suggestion is for chicanes to be added at either end of the village – one near the village hall and another close to the Manvers Arms.

“What we are wanting is some way of slowing the traffic down,” said Cllr Boydon.

“We’re told that Doncaster Council no longer installs speed bumps, so ideally we would like chicanes.

“If there’s something physical in the road, then drivers have to slow down.”

The parish council and residents showcased their arguments to Doncaster Council and South Yorkshire Police in a meeting at the village hall on Tuesday (17).

More signatures were collected on a petition which has been taken around Adwick in recent weeks and has now reached 100 names – almost a third of the village’s population.

Cllr Boydon said: “No-one has refused to sign. It’s an issue for the whole village, not just people on that particular road.”

Insp Sebastian Dent, from Doncaster North neighbourhood team, said: “We are aware of increased reports of speeding in the Adwick area and are currently working with partners and the community to address their concerns.”

Doncaster Council did not respond before our deadline yesterday.