Calls to cut speed limit after cattle deaths

A number of cows have been fatally hit my cars this year on Minchinhampton Common, Gloucestershire

There have been renewed calls to lower a speed limit on a grassland near Stroud in Gloucestershire after five cows have been killed there this year.

The town's Parish Council wanted to see the speed limit reduced from 40mph (64km/h) to 30mph (48km/h).

Cllr Nick Hurst, chair of Minchinhampton Parish Council said "the highest speed recorded this year has been 97mph".

Police are appealing for information after the latest hit and run on Minchinhampton Common happened last week.

Every year cows are released onto Minchinhampton and Rodborough commons after winter on a specific date in May known as Marking Day.

Last week a cow was fatally injured by a car and Mark Dawkins, Common Hayward who is responsible for checking on the cows said "the worst part about it was that the driver drove off, which is pretty unforgivable really".

The parish council have been monitoring the speed of traffic for a number of years, and Cllr Nick Hurst said they "aren't getting anywhere, we are still where we were 10 years ago".

Steve Kilmister, Clerk to the Minchinhampton and Rodborough Commons Committee said it was "a tragedy for the cows and the owners".

He added, "the key is not so much the volume of the traffic but the speed they drive".