Local Conservatives have called for the 30mph limit imposed along a stretch of Peakes Parkway to be scrapped and replaced with a 40mph limit. Drivers are avoiding using the Peaks Parkway for fear of getting a speeding ticket – causing rat runs in other parts of town. That is the claim of two local Conservative Councillors, who say the introduction of speed cameras along the A16 is diverting traffic onto other nearby streets.
They believe that Scartho Road and Hainton Avenue are being used as rat runs by motorists who don't want to risk being fined for slipping over the 30mph limit and they have called on the council to rethink the speed limit on a road they say was designed to get traffic quickly in and out of the town.
Councillor David Hornby (Con, Scartho) said: "I use Scartho Road every single day and I have certainly noticed an increase in traffic since they brought in the speed cameras along the Peaks Parkway.
"It is my own belief that people are avoiding the Parkway for fear of getting a ticket.
"The whole point of the Parkway was to move traffic in and out of Grimsby quickly and efficiently and relieve the pressure on Scartho Road, and I think the council has shot itself in the foot by imposing this 30mph limit. I think 30mph is too slow. The nature of the road does not warrant it. There are no pedestrians and each side of the road has got a brick wall next to it. I do think we should go back to the original concept of the Parkway."
Councillor Philip Jackson (Con, Waltham) said: "I have always felt that 30mph is too slow along that stretch of road. Originally Peaks Parkway was designed as a fast route in and out of Grimsby to take traffic off the surrounding residential streets.
"From a road safety point of view it's a good straight road, there are no pedestrians, it has got walls on both sides, and the only junctions are controlled by lights.
"I have anecdotal evidence that people are avoiding Peaks Parkway to avoid the speed cameras and using the surrounding residential streets. That in many ways is reducing road safety rather than improving it."