'Insane' 111mph speeding prompts crackdown plea

Residents accuse police of not taking the speeding issue seriously enough

Motorists driving at "insane" speeds through a village have prompted calls for police to step up enforcement.

A traffic survey in Newton under Roseberry, south of Middlesbrough, by Redcar and Cleveland Council showed a vehicle travelling at 111mph in a 30mph zone.

In the same six-day time period, two vehicles were recorded driving between 80mph and 90mph, and six between 70mph and 80mph.

One resident said having cars "flying past you" at such speeds was "not just reckless, it's terrifying". Cleveland Police said it took reports of speeding very seriously.

Newton under Roseberry is on the A173 near Guisborough, which has a maximum 40mph stretch, reduced from 60mph in 2019 to protect pedestrians and cyclists.

The speed limit through the village is 30mph.

The Local Democracry Reporting Service said one resident described 111mph as "insane" and suggested police were not taking the issue seriously enough.

A police camera van "sporadically appeared for an hour or two", but motorists warned others approaching of its presence by flashing headlights, giving people time to slow down, he added.

Police speeding fines

Cleveland Police said: "Reports about speeding are taken very seriously and, where concerns are raised, police will work together with the local council to look at appropriate responses."

Its enforcement van identified one offence last month and further monitoring was planned, a spokeswoman said.

Hutton ward councillor Jemma Joy said she had seen drivers exceeding both the 30mph limit in the village and the 40mph limit on either side of it.

"The first task is to put in as many measures to reduce speed and get drivers who choose to exceed the speed limit issued with points and fines by the police," she said.

"I'm working with residents and police, as well as council officers from the highways team, to see what else we can do to reduce speeds."