Chesterfield man “very dissatisfied” with county council over speed camera

Ian Scott, who has lived on the 30mph road for nearly 50 years, described backing out of his own driveway as “putting yourself in a dangerous situation”.

The camera - located on Brimington’s Ringwood Road near the one-way system - was taken down in June - leaving the neighbourhood blighted by mad motorists driving at up to 50mph.

After being approached by Derbyshire Times over the issue Derbyshire County Council said the camera was removed after being vandalised.

They added that the camera was originally placed near a junction before traffic lights were installed - which slowed traffic down anyway.

A spokesman said: “We wouldn’t normally put a speed camera so close to a set of lights as traffic lights act to slow down traffic, so we have decided not to put it back.”

However father-of-one Ian now says he is “very dissatisfied with Derbyshire County Council’s response”.

He said: “It’s the usual brush-off - they seem to be turning a blind eye to the fact that there’s a 30mph speed limit but the majority of traffic is not complying.

“It’s a main road in a built-up area and most drivers are doing 40mph to 50mph - this is the only speed camera between here and Staveley. That's a distance of around two miles.

“I was an engineer and when something went faulty you replaced it - it just needs moving further back 100 yards and people accelerating up the hill to Brimington would have to slow down.

“I suspect the real reason they haven’t replaced the camera is because of budgets - they don’t want to spend the money.

“But this isn’t just an issue on Ringwood Road - there are other parts of the town where it’s an issue, on Matlock Road and Chatsworth Road for instance.”

Ian described how when Ringwood Road is quiet “you see motorcyclists and boy racers flying up the hill”.

While large, slow-moving vehicles pulling out of Robinsons Caravans, near where the camera used to stand posed a “recipe for disaster”.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council said: “We note the concerns of the resident about speeding traffic here and will ask the police to visit with the mobile speed van.”

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