ANTI-SPEEDING devices have helped to dramatically reduce instances at almost a HUNDRED Barnsley hotspots since a move to curb antisocial driving habits was brought in 18 months ago in order to save lives, the Chronicle can reveal.
Locations - put forward by residents, local policing teams and councillors - have benefited from council-operated gadgets which have seen six mobile devices make their way around the borough.
Generally fixed to lamp posts, they have visited 94 different sites, helping to reduce speed at worst-impacted roads.
A SID gives a visual alert to road users of the limit in force on that particularly road, which transport bosses say automatically make drivers more aware of the speed they are travelling at.
Coun James Higginbottom, cabinet spokesperson for environment and highways, said: “The council currently operate a total of seven speed indicator devices.
“This includes six mobile devices and one fixed device, although we’ve really introduced another in Ardsley.
“Our six mobile devices are rotated to different locations every four weeks.
“The programme was initiated in October 2023 with four devices but due to the high volume of requests from members and residents, we added two more devices in October 2024.
“Since their deployment, the original four devices have been continuously operational and to date we have installed these devices at 94 different sites across the borough.
“Data collected indicates a positive impact on driver behaviour, with average speed reductions of nine per cent across all sites in 2024, and some locations experiencing reductions of over 20 per cent.”
The area where a long-standing fixed device is in place - Burton Road in Monk Bretton - has a long history of collisions and speeding.
After two serious crashes in December 2022 - which residents said were the eighth in as many years - a petition containing almost 300 signatures was submitted to the council as a last-ditch attempt to force action.
A subsequent road safety assessment carried out by highways officers - which took place over the Christmas period - assessed what could be done after previous studies ruled out residents’ suggestions such as crash barriers and speed bumps.
The road’s refuge islands were re-purposed in order for them to house so-called ‘speed cushions’ - effectively an elongated speed bump - in order to slow vehicles down, alongside the SID.
Coun Kevin Osborne, cabinet support member for environment and highways, added: “The most important thing about our mobile SIDs is that they can be used right across the borough and that’s why they’ve had such a positive impact on many roads.
“The fixed one on Burton Road was joined by another on Doncaster Road recently.
“We continue to work with our partners to reduce casualties and make safety a priority in planning, design, operation and using our roads.”
