A GROUP of parents in Devauden have presented a petition to County Councillor Bob Greenland.

Led by resident Judy Wasdell, the petition is calling for the village’s speed limit to be extended along the B4293 to Monmouth, to take in an exposed school bus stop.

Judy said: “Myself and other parents cross this road every week-day morning with young children to catch the school bus. It can be really daunting when some drivers are travelling at speeds often in excess of the national speed limit.

“We are campaigning to try to get Monmouthshire County Council to reduce the speed limit from 60mph to 30mph on this stretch of road as it approaches Devauden. Like most Devauden residents we are alarmed at the increasing numbers of drivers who speed through our village and being at the road side every morning at 08.20 we have witnessed some truly alarming driving.”

The group say they received a ‘sympathetic’ response from Devauden Community Council, but claim the county body dismissed their original complaint, arguing that clear visibility and no recorded accidents at the bus stop meant the lower limit did not need to go on that far out of the village.

The parents add: “We are trying to get them to think again by organising a petition showing the strength of feeling about this issue.

“Trying to navigate this road with children when cars are approaching at speeds often in excess of the national speed limit can be very frightening since very few drivers choose to slow down. There have been numerous near misses between cars overtaking the bus and cars driving out of Devauden since there is a low rise hill on this section of road which prevents clear visibility for drivers travelling in both directions.

“This is the only school bus stop on our route outside of a 30mph zone. A longer 30mph zone might actually make drivers slow down through the village and we believe there are other villages (Tintern and Shirenewton) which have considerably longer 30mph zones.

“We really hope Monmouthshire County Council take heed of our request to lower the speed limit approaching the village.”