You may have seen a speed measuring device at various posts in the village. The purpose of this device is to make drivers aware of their speed by displaying the speed and recording it in a database for further analysis. The Great Wilbraham Parish Council (GWPC) currently has 1 such device. A further 3 devices may be added over the next few months. The purpose of this page is to share traffic volumes and speed data recorded by these devices with Great Wilbraham residents.
What is this device?
The sign is called a Mobile Vehicle Activated Sign (MVAS) or sometimes known as Speed Indicating Device (SID). The sign is activated by an approaching vehicle and displays their speed and saves the date, time and speed which can later be analysed.
Why is it useful?
The MVAS makes drivers aware of their speed and should encourage them to slow down in the event they are driving higher than the speed limit. The device could be especially useful at entry points to the village where the speed limit is reduced.
What have we learnt so far?
The current device has been operating for almost 3 years at various locations. At most locations, vehicles drive at or below the current speed limit of 30 mph. The area where there is the most likelihood of vehicles going above the speed limit is The Lanes, close to the school.
How will data be shared?
The GWPC will periodically provide a summary of the data collected on this page along with a link to an excel file for those interested in analysing the data further.
Who is moving the device?
Currently, Mike Smith, Paul Lambton and Roddy Tippen have volunteered to move the device approximately once every 6 weeks. We would like to thank them for their time.
What are the future plans?
There is a plan to continue collaboration with current volunteers and new volunteers from Transport Working Group (TWG) and others to move, collect and collate data for the new MVAS’s. The objective is to make the village a safer place and for the data to inform us of future decisions and actions. One such future action is to consider reducing the speed limit from 30mph to 20mph within the village because the layout and nature of the roads, pavements and houses is unsuited to the volume and nature of the traffic. The current conditions create danger for all road users, including cyclists, horse riders, and pedestrians. The MVAS units can be re-configured to measure against the potential new 20mph limit, providing us with further baseline data.
July 2023