ROAD safety fears in Chipping Sodbury need to be taken seriously if traffic-calming measures are ever going to be implemented, say campaigners calling for a reduced speed limit.

Supporters of a 20mph zone in the High Street are worried no action will be taken until there have been a number of fatal accidents.

Leading campaigner for the lower limit, Mark Lloyd, said: "Apparently the average clean up cost to a council for an accident is £75,000 and it is only when they can justify saving this cost that they can implement safety measures. As such there is little hope that Chipping Sodbury will be allocated budget.

"It would take several injured schoolchildren and a couple of deaths before they could justify the expense of installing safety measures. This is absurd."

Mr Lloyd, who runs Rounceval House Hotel, has held talks on the issue with new town mayor Cllr Paul Whittle and transport bosses at South Gloucestershire.

He has gathered support from fellow traders and businesses in the town and is calling for the 20mph limit as well as improvements to Hounds Road, which leads to St John’s Primary School and nursery.

He said: "I would hope that the council and the government would re-look at how they allocate funding and base this on saving lives by adopting a ‘zero tolerance’ to road deaths, rather than only taking action after people have already lost their lives."

Cllr Whittle told the Gazette: "I think a speed limit will help, particularly on the approaches to Chipping Sodbury. At the moment we have asked South Gloucestershire Council for a speed check and more 30mph signs to remind people of the limit.

"Hounds Road is obviously a dangerous exit and I don’t know of anybody who has not had a near miss there."

His wife Wendy, a fellow town councillor, said: "I am not prepared to wait for somebody to die until something is done. The town council is doing all it can but our hands are tied."

Northavon MP Steve Webb said: "There is seldom an easy fix to these problems but once the council has dealt with accident blackspots, it should also prioritise areas around schools."

Cllr Brian Allinson, executive member for planning, transportation and the strategic environment, said: "As part of our pro-active approach to road safety, the council has been working closely with St John’s Mead Primary School to develop a school travel plan and we plan to implement a Safer Route to School scheme along Hounds Road later this year after we have consulted locally. This should hopefully address residents’ concerns.

"With regard to Chipping Sodbury High Street, the most recent speed survey undertaken found the average speed of traffic was below the current 30mph speed limit; however, we will continue to monitor that area closely to see if changes need to be made."