PSNI operation in village as car recorded at 100mph

Local councillor, Brenda Chivers, at the entrance to Drumsurn village

Motorists driving at speeds of up to 100mph through a County Londonderry village could kill someone, politicians and community leaders have warned.

Part of the main Drumsurn Road has a 60mph zone, running into a 40mph zone and then 20mph at St Matthew's Primary School.

"The issue is that people have been ignoring the signs and doing 100mph through the village," Sinn Féin councillor Brenda Chivers said.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland is to mount road safety operations in response to the problem.

"Someone was even caught speeding over the 100mph mark recently," Ms Chivers told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today.

"Something needs done before it's too late.

"Speeding through this village has been an issue for 25 years now and enough is enough.

She is to meet the Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd to discuss how to deal with the problem.

Ann-Marie Kealey is the principal of St Matthew's primary school in the village

Ann-Marie Kealey, principal of St Matthew's Primary School, accused some motorists of "flying through the area".

"Our pupils deserve more and the issue for us is that they have to use a big public pathway that's right beside the main road," she said.

"The pupils themselves will be making posters soon to highlight the problem and be part of the campaign.

"We need a resolution soon."

SDLP MLA Cara Hunter said residents had told her of their "deep-rooted concern" about speeding in the local village at a recent meeting.

She has now called for traffic-calming measures to be put in place as a matter of urgency.

"This awful speeding will claim lives and cannot continue," she said.

"I am worried a child will be knocked down here."

SDLP MLA Cara Hunter says the speeding is "awful" and will claims lives

The police said motorists need to stick to the speed limits in order to keep people safe.

PSNI Neighbourhood Inspector, Stephen Burns, said: "We appreciate the information shared with us by members of the public and local councillors about their road safety concerns.

“Speed restrictions are not there to inconvenience motorists, they are in place to make our roads safer.

“Local officers will be conducting road safety operations in the Drumsurn area over the coming weeks. If everyone follows our advice, then together we can help keep people safe and prevent injuries on our roads."

BBC News NI has approached the Department for Infrastructure for comment.