Hundreds sign petition to stop dangerous driving in Pendle

Sharon Pursglove started the petition and says residents have had enough of speeding cars and dangerous, inconsiderate driving.

A spokesperson for the council is encouraging residents to report drivers seen speeding.

Car after crash in Barnoldswick, in 2022 (Image: Police)

Sharon said complaints have been submitted to politicians and the council for more than a decade.

More than 800 people have signed the petition, at the time of writing.

She said: “People have died, lives have been devastated, property has been damaged, sleep has been broken. 

“Yet here we still are in 2024 with the same issues. We, the people of Pendle, consistently report the locations and times of day and night this occurs to little avail.

“We, the people of Pendle have had enough. We demand that this scourge on all communities is addressed fully and quickly.

"We demand an end to this anti-social behaviour which is currently a blight on thousands of Pendle lives. 

“The more signatures we get the more we can visibly demonstrate to police, councillors, and local newspapers how many lives are affected Pendle-wide.”

Tragic deaths, speeding offences and other driving officers in Nelson have made headlines in recent months.

In July, Derek Wick, 85, died after he was involved in a crash at the junction of Hartley Street and New Market Street, Colne.

Derek Wick (Image: Family)

Police were called and found there had been a crash between a pedestrian and a Honda HR-V.

In March, police were called to Colne Road in Brierfield following reports a BMW M5 had hit a pedestrian and then crashed into a wall, close to a bus stop.

Emergency services attended and found a man in his 50s unresponsive. Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he was later pronounced dead at the scene.

In June, an electric bike rider was taken to hospital with head and leg injuries, after a crash on Clitheroe Road in Brierfield.

Last week, police issued a warning after reports of high-powered vehicles being driven in an anti-social manner in Nelson.

A spokesperson for the council said road safety and motoring offences have long been a police priority supported by Pendle community safety partnership, a multi-agency partnership that works to manage, prevent and reduce crime and antisocial behaviour in Pendle.  

It said police in Pendle have pioneered an approach to traffic operations which includes Trading Standards, DVSA, stolen vehicle squad and neighbourhood police to stop and check commercial and private vehicles. 

Police also do stop and check events in streets and around schools aimed at speed, seatbelts and use of mobile phones. 

Bin the Banger operations involve the DVLA, Neighbourhood Police and Pendle Borough Council and are aimed at taking untaxed and unroadworthy vehicles off the street. 

It continues to work with the road safety team at Lancashire County Council on highways issues and prevention and with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service on speed awareness courses and other preventative measures. 

Tim Horsley, community safety officer for Pendle Council, said: “Speed is important because it plays a part in deaths and injuries on our roads.  

“The formula is simple. The higher the speed the harder the crash and the greater the risk of death and injury.  

“We welcome information from residents on individuals and vehicles, in particular vehicle registration numbers, so that the Police can take enforcement action.  

“We appreciate this is often difficult however it is essential to effective action.”

You can report speeding and driving offences to Lancashire Police online at www.doitonline.lancashire.police.uk.

Sign the petition by visiting www.change.org and searching for 'Force LCC and Pendle Police service to fully address Speeding cars issue in Pendle'.