Update from the Mary Tavy Parish Council Working Group on Speeding and Road Safety
A working group of parish councillors was formed in August 2019 to address concerns about traffic speeds through the village and the impact this has on road safety. Following a number of meetings of the Group, a public meeting was held on the 26th November 2019.
3 main topics were addressed at the public meeting:
- The establishment of village gateways
- Upgrading our current Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) to units that record data. The data could, in principle, help the Parish Council, the police and Devon County Council Highways Department (DCCH) focus their resources on improving road safety in the parish.
- Restarting a Speedwatch initiative.
While it was made clear that DCCH and the police do not currently accept 3rd party data from VAS, it was felt by many at the meeting that the possible upgrading of the signs should be investigated further.
Shortly after the meeting, the council received data from DCCH from a speed recorder they had installed for about a week in the village (we believe this was located at the current VAS position adjacent to the Down’s garage site). The results from this DCCH survey were:
- 50% of vehicles using the A386 were travelling at speeds of 28.5mph or less. This is the 50th percentile value.
- 85% of vehicles were travelling at speeds of 33.4mph or less. This is the 85th percentile value.
Based on these results, DCCH advised the council that they did not consider speeds to be high enough to merit any further road safety improvements.
Many councillors and parishioners were surprised at the low values measured by DCCH and the decision was made to hire a speed recording device to gather our own data. We used the device over an approximate 3 week period in late January and early February 2020 at 4 locations on the A386 in the village. Interestingly, analysis of the data gave results not greatly dissimilar to those from DCCH:
50th percentile value 85th percentile value
DCCH data 28.5 mph 33.4 mph
Our data (same camera position as DCCH) 29.0 mph 35.0 mph
Our data (combined from 3 camera locations) 30.5 mph 36.25 mph
It should be noted that these results were obtained before the Covid-19 restrictions markedly affected traffic volumes. One thing we will need to bear in mind is how traffic volumes and driver behaviour may be different when restrictions are lifted.
There will be a debate on whether the parish council should proceed with upgraded VAS or keep the existing signs when council meetings are able to reconvene after restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 virus are lifted. In the meantime, opinions and suggestions from parishioners are welcome and will help steer the debate and decision making. Please contact the Clerk of the Council, using the contact form on the website or email (ku.oc.licnuochsirapyvatyram@krelchsirap), or Councillor Nick Butland (Chair of the Speeding Working Group) at ku.oc.licnuochsirapyvatyram@dnaltub.kcin if you would like to make your views known.
The attached documents contain a much more detailed report on use of the speed recorder and a series of charts and tables; these will give interested parties a better view of progress to date.
Update on Speeding Problems on the A386 Through Mary Tavy
Those of you that attended the public meeting held on the 26th November or anyone who read the report of the meeting might be wondering what’s happening so here is a brief update:
There was a lot of interest at the meeting in replacing our old 30mph “Slow Down” warning signs (know as Vehicle Advisory Signs or VAS) with new signs that recorded data such as time, traffic flow and vehicle speeds – this despite feedback from the police and DCC Highways that they don’t accept 3rd party data. Shortly after the meeting we got some data from DCC Highways from a covert radar device they had set up in the village for a week (the Parish Council wasn’t informed they’d done this until after the event but we think the device was fixed to the VAS post near Down’s Garage). We found the Highways’ results somewhat surprising as they showed a mean speed of around 28mph and an 85%ile speed of around 33mph (the 85%ile is the speed value that 85% of traffic is at or below…i.e. only 15% of traffic is doing more than 33mph).
We (the Parish Council) thought these figures were lower than many people believe are the real vehicle speeds but we are conscious that if we went ahead and spent a significant proportion of the parish budget on new VAS signs and then found the Highways figures were true, we could be seen to have wasted the money. In light of this we decided to gather some of our own information by renting a radar device. We started taking measurements on the 16th January and finished today (7th Feb). The device (called a Speedspy) gathered data 24 hours a day from 4 positions on the A386 in the village. We decided not to advertise the fact the unit was here until the data collection was finished so that it didn’t affect people’s driving habits.
We should have the data back from the Speedspy in a couple of weeks. Once it’s been analysed, we feel we will be better placed to decide whether we should spend part of the parish council budget on new VAS signs.
We’ll keep everyone updated on progress as and when we can.
What To Do In An Emergency
Here is a copy of the Mary Tavy Parish Council Emergency Plan. As well as containing information on what the Parish Council should do in the event of an emergency it contains, in Annex A, contact details for all Mary Tavy councillors and for the Emergency Warden / Snow Warden. The plan was agreed by the Parish Council in May 2018 and modified in December 2019 to include up to date contact information.
You can also download the document “some useful emergency contact details” which may be of help in an emergency. The details are correct as of December 2019
Let’s hope neither document is ever needed, but we trust they will be of some use should an emergency arise.
Report Of The Speeding Public Meeting Held On The 26th November 2019
The Parish Council hosted a public meeting to discuss speeding on the A386 through Mary Tavy and possible speed reduction methods. Please click on the link to access the report of the meeting.
Where is this?
New item for the website, ‘Where is this?’.
Travelling around Mary Tavy there are hundreds of places you may have never seen. So as an insight into the area, pictures will be put on to the website and you have to guess where it is.
The answer will be shared when the next picture gets posted.
Where is this Picture taken below? Yes it’s river but where?
The Picture below is on Kingsett Down, you can just see Wheal Betsy behind the rock.
Where is this picture taken below?
Answer… Inside the Chimney stack of Wheal Betsy
So where is the picture below taken? It’s Horndon Clam. That’s the shortcut from Horndon to Peter Tavy.
Once you could drive a tractor down the track, but no more.
The Place above is Horndon Clam. This place is very special and only the brave gets to go down to the river.
Where is this?
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Mary Tavy Code of Conduct 2019
Please find attached Mary Tavy Parish Council Code of Conduct 2019
William Crossing – Hundred Years On Dartmoor
William Crossing (1847–1928) was a writer and chronicler of Dartmoor and the lives of its inhabitants. He lived part of his life here in Mary Tavy and was buried here at St. Mary’s Church in the village.
He’s considered to be one of the best authorities on Dartmoor and its antiquities, having made it the subject of his life’s work.
Of his 18 books, his most famous work was the book ‘Hundred years on Dartmoor’, a book you won’t want to put down! You’ll be amazed at how people lived on and around this fantastic landscape.
‘William Crossing’s’ Grave is located at the Church of St. Mary’s. Go to the top of the church yard, when you get there turn left, walk along the row for about 40 to 50 meters you should be there.
Notice of Vacancy
MARY TAVY PARISH COUNCIL
NOTICE OF VACANCY
Two vacancies have occurred on Mary Tavy Parish Council caused by the resignation of Michael Allen and Martin Robins.
A by-election to fill the vacancy will be held if within 14 days of the date of this Notice (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Bank Holidays) ten electors from the Parish give notice in writing to the Returning Officer requiring that such an election be held.
The address of the Returning Officer is West Devon Borough Council, Kilworthy Park, Drake Road, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0BZ.
If no such notice is given, the Parish Council will fill the vacancy through co-option.
For further information please contact the Clerk to the Parish Council
Dated: 9 May 2014
Environment Agency Guidance on Flood Protection
Flood protection guidance