A DAD who says he and his two sons were nearly run over at a set of traffic lights in Bradford Road, Birkenshaw, has called for further action against drivers speeding through the village.

Ian Stuart said it is "only a matter of time" before someone is killed or seriously injured on the busy A651 route, and ward councillors have agreed that a "massive percentage" of drivers are ignoring the 30mph limits.

However, Kirklees Council has said the introduction of fixed safety cameras is "not justified" on the road.

Mr Stuart said he was crossing Bradford Road with his sons, Jacob, ten, and Seb, eight, at the traffic lights near Station Lane, when a speeding car ignored a red light and nearly knocked them down.

"The car came straight through the red light at speed without even attempting to stop or slow down," he said.

"If my boys had run across the road, as they and many other children have done, they would have been dead.

"Anyone who lives in Birkenshaw will have said at one time or another that someone is going to get killed on the road, with the speeds cars fly up and down.

"Well, me and my kids were almost that someone."

Mr Stuart has called for the introduction of permanent speed cameras, other traffic calming measures such as speed bumps, or the introduction of a blanket 20mph zone throughout the centre of the village.

Councillor Robert Light (Con, Birstall and Birkenshaw), who is also the Tory group leader on Kirklees Council, said the speed limit on Bradford Road had already been reduced from 40mph to 30mph.

"Speeding in the village is a problem, but we've addressed it as best we can," he said.

"There are flashing speed indicator signs and police regularly perform speed checks.

"Sadly, there will always be the odd driver who drives recklessly."

Councillor Andrew Palfreeman (Con, Birstall and Birkenshaw) said: "Speeding is certainly an issue in the village, and some of the speeds you see are horrendous.

"The indicator signs show that some drivers are entering the 30mph zone at about 80mph.

"It is more than the odd one, there is a massive percentage of drivers doing it."

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said a speed indicator device, fitted in 2012, had recorded 85 per cent of traffic in Bradford Road travelled at 28mph, with only 18 collisions recorded on the 2km stretch of the A651 from Birkenshaw roundabout to the Kirklees boundary in the last five years.

"While we appreciate that some residents may feel that traffic speeds are inappropriate along this length of road, both the recorded speeds and the personal injury collision records do not suggest that there is a serious issue which warrants any further intervention," added the spokesman.

Police said while Bradford Road had not been identified as a particular hotspot for speeding, officers had been visible in the area to carry out checks.

Inspector Neil Money, of Batley and Spen Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "We have conducted a number of days of action with partner agencies along that stretch of road, not only to tackle anti-social driving issues such as driving over the speed limit, but also to check that vehicles meet required standards and are fully licensed and insured."

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