SPEEDING was a major issue raised at the last PACT meeting in Ledbury, and the response could well be speed traps and more traffic monitoring, to help identify the problem areas.

Around 15 people attended the last PACT meeting in the town council offices, earlier this month, where police officers explained that extra foot patrols have been monitoring Bye Street and Bridge Street, in the centre of Ledbury "after reports of speeding in that area".

Ledbury's mayor, Cllr Annette Crowe, who organises the PACT meetings, said: "Police are applying for use of a data box from the Safer Roads Partnership which will monitor speeds in an area.

"They did say that there is a waiting list for this equipment but will let us know when it is available."

Electronic strips to count and monitor traffic will be laid across problems roads, to feed into the data boxes.

Cllr Crowe is particularly keen for this to happen on the Gloucester Road and the Southend, because of the speed of traffic approaching the John Masefield High School, from the direction of the M50 motorway.

She said: "It's an accident waiting to happen, and is this is what it will takes before something is done?"

Cllr Crowe said of the entrance to the Southend, from the Gloucester Road: "Speeding has always been a problem there. We have to look at the options."

She added: "Both of the Ledbury Police Community Support Officers will be trained in the use of a speed laser gun which can then be used to monitor specific areas."

But Cllr Crowe said she was "disappointed" by the electronic monitoring which has taken place so far on the Hereford Road in Ledbury, which has been highlighted as another problem area for speeding.

The town council has hired a Speed Indicator Device for the Hereford Road. But it broke down before Christmas and is still not working.

Cllr Crowe said: "It is very disappointing; we would like it working to have the information that can inform decisions about speeding, and whether there is a problem or not."

But the man capable of mending the SID is off work, sick.

The name of PACT in Ledbury could change this year, to make the meetings sound more appealing for the public.

The present name stands for Partners and Communities Together.

The date of the next meeting is still to be fixed.