DRIVERS in Kingsmead are being urged to stick to a new 20mph zone in the area.

Monarch Drive has long been used as a rat run to avoid congestion on Kingsmead Spine Road, with residents and councillors campaigning for traffic calming measures since 2007.

A 20mph zone came into force along the road in June this year, but residents and councillors fear that the new signs are not being obeyed.

Speaking at the latest Kingsmead Parish Council meeting resident Geoff Hiorns said: “Hopefully we can get road markings done as soon as possible.

“I understand until it’s complete maybe it’s difficult for the police to take any further action because it could be claimed by motorists that it’s not clear or not complete.

“But I wondered if the police could do something to deter the utterly reckless driving, often by residents.”

Clr Helen Weltman, a Kingsmead parish council and a Cheshire West and Chester councillor explained why there had been a delay with the road markings.

“There is one contractor in the Cheshire West and Chester area and there have been quite a lot of speed limit changes,” she said.

Clr Weltman agreed that speeding was still an issue in Monarch Drive and needed to be monitored.

“There have been some people still doing 45 to 50mph,” she said.

“I’ve offered to pay for some of the flashing signs that stay on lampposts but I wanted to see how it went first, we just need to monitor it.”

There was some debate among councillors about the effectiveness of the flashing Speed Indication Devices (SIDs).

Clr Chris Reed said: “The SIDs are great but you get the idiots that see it as a challenge.”

Clr Tim Moore said: “There’s some research I’ve read that says by and large they do a better job than static speed cameras, they affect the way people think.”

The council agreed to monitor the situation before taking any further action.