Gladys Hobson, Anne Hetherington and Norman Dick, West Park ward members, are calling on drivers to check their speed to ensure they remain within the 20mph limit implemented in the local area.
New 20mph signage has been put in place advising motorists of a new zone which includes Mortimer Road, Stanhope Road and Temple Park Road with additional traffic calming measures in place on Reading Road, Birchington Avenue and Oxford Street.
Councillor Gladys Hobson, speaking on behalf of the West Park ward councillors, said: “We welcome these new measures as we want our young people to have a safe journey to and from school so we are asking motorists to check their speed in the new zones.
“We want to make drivers aware that the Reading Road area of West Park is now a 20mph zone. The speed limit is not just for the benefit of local students attending the schools in the local area, but for other pedestrians and cyclists, as well as motorists themselves.”
Councillor Tracey Dixon, Lead member for Area Management and Community Safety at South Tyneside council said: “With a number of schools in the West Park area there are a lot of students going to and from school at times of busy traffic on mornings and evenings.
“The 20mph zone was introduced to make the local area safer for students as they walked or cycle to and from school. It is important that we raise awareness among drivers to comply with the new speed limit.”
Work is currently being carried out within the area to create a second zone bound by Mortimer Road, Dean Road, Sunderland Road and King George Road, which will also include road humps in place on Cauldwell Avenue, Hartington Terrace and Oxford Avenue.
Local resident, Adam Kemp, 33, in Dulverton Avenue, said: “I think it is a really good idea that this new 20mph zone has been put in place. I myself have witnessed motorists driving at speeds of 30 and 40mph along Birchington Avenue which is a heavily populated area with children playing outside their homes.
“I’ve also had a car misjudge a corner and end up through the side wall of my old house on Birchington Avenue. Luckily no one was in but it happened early in the morning as children were on their way to school.
“I have always said it would be worth putting extra measures in place to prevent accidents. While the new zone may inconvenience some drivers I’m sure they would feel differently if it was their house that got damaged or if their child was involved in an road accident.”