LEDBURY is urgently in need of a traffic management plan, according to town councillor, Richard Hadley.

Cllr Hadley, who has produced a paper for the town council, believes the present traffic situation is creating "inconvenience and danger to Ledbury people".

He is asking the town council, the town plan group and Herefordshire Council to come up with ideas.

Cllr Hadley said: "It’s time to call a halt on the speed merchants as well as tackle some of the traffic blackspots. Will nothing be done until someone is seriously injured? We need a traffic management plan urgently.

"Ledbury Town Council has eighteen serving councillors - more than enough capacity for us to get on top of this.”

He added: "The community-led Town Plan group has established a sub-group where members of the public can put forward their views and suggestions."

Cllr Hadley said the whole town seemed to be "afflicted by traffic overload, bad driving, and dangerous places".

He added: "The Town Plan research has shown that traffic management is at the top of the agenda for local people. They want urgent action.

"Cyclists, wheelchair users, older people, dog walkers, parents with buggies and children, joggers, in fact, everybody who walks around Ledbury regularly have to take their lives into their hands to get around."

Cllr Hadley, in his report, has produced a list of what he sees as "problem locations".

The list includes the southern by-pass / junction Martin’s Way, because of illegal overtaking and speeding traffic in both directions.

He believes that several traffic islands are dangerous for pedestrians, including the island at the Full Pitcher; the island at Lower Rd/Little Marcle Road; the island near Homebase, on the bypass, and island at Hereford Road.

Cllr Hadley says there is a problem with speeding traffic in the Hereford Road, near the train station.

The Knapp Lane junction/Homend is mentioned for " congestion from cars turning right" and Knapp Lane itself is listed for "speeding and inappropriately heavy traffic" , dangerous to pedestrians.

Cllr Hadley said there is "regular jumping of the lights" on the pedestrian crossing at Orchard Lane.

The Homend is listed as a problem for "speeding traffic," and "illegally parked traders' vehicles on double yellow lines", and the Homend/Bye Street junction is dangerous for pedestrians to cross, and has narrow pavements

Speeding traffic is listed as a problem in Bye Street and Lower Road, and there is speeding too in Long Acres and Orchard Lane and "illegal parking by the primary school".

The High Street by the Market House is listed as having "confusing parking restrictions".

Top Cross is listed for "badly phased traffic lights causing unnecessary danger and congestion" and New Street is listed as a danger for "illegal parking; speeding traffic, and a "dangerous crossing by the Co-op."

Woodleigh Road is listed for "speeding traffic and no pavement for pedestrians", and the Southend is mentioned for "illegally parked vehicles on double yellow lines and speeding traffic", including lorries.

The junction of the Southend and Mable’s Furlong is listed for being dangerous for pedestrians to cross; for "congestion and illegal parking at school access; speeding traffic in both directions and worn road markings."

Speeding traffic is also listed as a problem for Biddulph Way and the Gloucester Road.

Cllr Hadley said: "Ledbury Town Council needs to engage in discussion with Herefordshire Council’s Highways Department with a view to bringing forward a programme of works."

Cllr Phill Bettington, a Herefordshire councillor for Ledbury, said the idea of a traffic management plan "would be explored".

He said: "We can look at it and see if, in the long-term, it will be of a benefit to Ledbury."