I REFER to the two recent articles about the speeding and reckless drivers around Cheddon and Kingston Road.

The letters called on TDBC to introduce traffic-calming measures to dissuade the 'speeding idiots'.

I think it is safe to say that TDBC have been aware of this requirement for some time and have refused to place even 30mph speed limit signs on Kingston Road, let alone any other forms of traffic calming.

Kingston Road in particular is extremely dangerous, not least because it is long and straight, deceptively narrow and has a staggered and partially hidden cross roads at the top.

I have witnessed several accidents on Kingston Road caused mostly by speeding.

READ MORE: LETTER: 'Some people seem to think residential Taunton roads are racetracks'

I fear, however, that the reason TDBC are resolutely refusing to regulate traffic speeds along these dangerous routes is because in so doing they would reduce the overall capacity of the roads in terms of cars per minute/hour.

Reducing the capacity of the roads could call into question the overall viability of the over-sized and irresponsible housing development planned for Staplegrove.

The unsuitability of roads like Kingston and Cheddon to support a development of this size was clearly articulated to the Planning Committee, who dismissed the warnings out of hand and blindly waved through the planning application anyway.

Two years ago, Rebecca Pow was invited to walk Kingston Road at peak time to witness first-hand the speeding traffic dangers and the inadequacy of the road, but she predictably declined, presumably for fear of becoming obligated into having to do something about it.

You will never see any attempt by TDBC to make Kingston or Cheddon safe from speeding traffic because it is not in their economic interest to do so.

They would rather trade our safety in favour of in-viable housing developments and greedy developers.

CJ FOMES

Long-term resident of Kingston Road