Urgent Appeal for Traffic Safety Improvements in Ferrensby
Introduction
As you may know, our village is facing serious issues with speeding and dangerous driving, which threaten our safety. Despite our repeated attempts to engage local authorities, we have not seen the necessary action to address these concerns.
Below is a letter I recently sent to Mayor David Skaith, hoping to prompt some much-needed changes. Your support and awareness are crucial as we work to make Ferrensby a safer place for everyone.
31/03/2025
Mayor David Skaith
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
County Hall
Racecourse Lane
Northallerton
DL7 8AD
Dear Mayor Skaith,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to you with a sense of urgency regarding the safety challenges facing our village, particularly in light of a recent serious incident that underscores the need for immediate action.
On March 30, 2024, around 3 PM, a driver exiting the junction of Farnham Lane and Harrogate Road towards Boroughbridge was struck side-on by a speeding motorist (screeching tyres heard as the vehicle came into the village) who was also overtaking. The offending driver then fled the scene, abandoning their vehicle and escaping on foot. This alarming incident is unfortunately not isolated; near misses and reckless driving behavior are disturbingly common in our village due to its road layout, which seems to encourage speeding. Many drivers exiting the main junction in the village tend to accelerate aggressively, and also approach the junction, from all angles, at speed, posing significant risks to all road users. Fortunately no one was seriously injured, but it does appear we are waiting for a death for action to be taken. Which is frankly ridiculous.
Despite repeated attempts to engage with local authorities, including the police, we have received inadequate support. When attempting to get some sort of communication established with a police officer yesterday, either log number or something else, I was informed that it did not qualify as antisocial driving. This leaves us feeling helpless and unsupported, no alternatives were provided. We were advised to maintain logs (by a council representative) of such events for evidence, yet the lack of official acknowledgment and logging of these incidents only exacerbates our frustration and concern.
This situation is not just about traffic management; it is about community safety and well-being. The installation of picket fences at village entrances, a measure proposed by our community, aims to reduce speeding by providing a visual cue to drivers. We have been willing to fund and maintain these ourselves, yet our requests to the Area 6 Highways office have gone unanswered since October.
Your vision of fostering healthy and resilient communities resonates deeply with us, and we believe that addressing these safety concerns is integral to achieving that vision. We are reaching out to you in the hope that your office can facilitate effective communication with the relevant authorities and support the implementation of necessary traffic calming measures.
We would greatly appreciate your intervention in this matter. Your assistance could help initiate a pilot project that not only addresses our village’s immediate needs but also serves as a model for other communities facing similar challenges.
Thank you for considering our request. We are eager to work collaboratively to enhance the safety and quality of life in our village and look forward to your support.
Getting things changed for the better shouldn’t be this difficult.
Warmest regards,
Jonathan Pow
Chair of Ferrensby Parish Meeting
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