Northumbria Police will be asked to carry out enforcement action on a Hexham road after it was confirmed drivers are frequently flouting the speed limit.

A petition was received by the council last year signed by 62 residents living near Peth Head in the town’s east end that described crossing the road across the front of the street as “incredibly dangerous” due to speeding traffic.

The petitioners claimed parents with young children were left “standing in fear” and called for a safe space to the road, arguing that the route was no longer a “back road” but was being used as an alternative to the nearby Corbridge Road, which runs parallel.

Council officers carried out a speed survey on the road and found that it met the criteria for enforcement action from the police. This was because the top 15% highest speeds recorded were 10%+ 2mph higher than the 20mph limit, or 24mph.

However, speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of the Tynedale Local Area Committee, highways officer Neil Snowdon explained there could be some difficulties in enforcing the limit.

He said: “This area is unlikely to be a priority for speed camera vans as it is a 20mph road. The neighbourhood team’s resources are limited so we are not sure what enforcement they will do.”

The area’s ward councillor, Suzanne Fairless-Aitken, called for the work to be followed up on with measures to slow traffic down or provide a safe crossing.

But Coun Derek Kennedy, who represents the neighbouring Hexham West ward, said he didn’t think speeding was a huge issue on Peth Head.

He said: “I walk Peth Head fairly frequently and I struggle to see this. Do I recognise speeding on that road? No.

“Do I think the road lends itself to speeding? No, because of the length of it, and the geography of it – it has a steep hill and a kink in it.

“It doesn’t lend itself to any speed of any substance. I don’t see that as somewhere where we could actually enforce traffic calming.”

The same meeting saw a petition for traffic calming on nearby Woodlands Road considered. Woodlands is part of the aforementioned Corbridge Road, and sees the speed limit drop from 30mph to 20mph.

However the petition, which was signed by 80 residents, said the speed limit is rarely adhered to. Speed surveys were carried out in the 30mph zone and found vehicles were complying with the limit and slowing down on the approach to the 20mph limit.

However, Coun Fairless-Aitken said the survey should have taken place in the 20mph zone. Mr Snowdon agreed that officers would carry out a further survey to see if this limit was being adhered to.