Plan to thwart speeding not enough, say campaigners

People living in a city suburb are concerned new plans to tackle dangerous driving in their community will not be enough.

Residents in Lakenham, Norwich, said they have been left "unsettled" by how fast some drivers travel along roads in the area.

Their comments came after Norfolk County Council put forward plans to install traffic-calming measures along Hall Road.

But some campaigners believe a wider safety review needs to be carried out of all the main roads in the residential area to identify improvements, following several recent incidents, including a fatal collision.

Joe Jackson, 39, who has lived in neighbouring City Road for the last four years, described the route as a "commuter rat run".

It is a residential road with a 20mph speed limit, but Jackson said many drivers are not abiding by it.

"I've been surprised and unsettled about how fast people go down there sometimes," he said.

"At night, sometimes it sounds like they may be doing 60mph; it rattles my windows."

Miles Willis, who lives in Hall Road, said the area is "blighted" by traffic issues and he worries about his children's safety.

He said: "The pedestrian provision is really poor. The pavements are narrow, the crossings are awkward to use, and cars generally don't observe them."

Both Jackson and Willis want to see more traffic calming measures to slow drivers down.

A petition has been lodged with Norfolk County Council, which is demanding the authority conduct a formal road safety audit of Hall Road, City Road, Corton Road, Lindley Street and the Bracondale/King Street junction.

Tom Ludson, a Green councillor for Lakenham, said it was "really good" to see improvements for Hall Road, but he believes they fall short of addressing the issues in the area.

In the petition to the council, he said there are "deep concerns" about road safety and that he has seen data that shows incidents have increased.

He said: "Pedestrians frequently experience near misses, particularly at key crossing points that provide access to local schools, shops and St Mark's Church."

In a notice about the proposals, Norfolk County Council said: "The road humps (being a maximum of 75mm in height, 5.5 metres in width and 3.7metres in length) are designed to provide a safer environment for pedestrians and those who cycle.

Campaigners also said a fatal collision in City Road between a pedestrian and a car at a zebra crossing had added to concerns.

Peter Bambury, 64, died on 20 December 2025, after being hit by a car.

An investigation into the circumstances of his death is yet to conclude. A driver in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and he remains on bail.

In January, his family paid tribute to the "loving and caring" grandfather.

In a statement, the family said: "Shine bright our angel, we all love you forever. Forever in our hearts."

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