Woman has three cars written off in a year on 'dangerous road' near Exmouth

A woman from Woodbury is trying to tackle speeding in her village after having three cars written off due to collisions in the last year.

Kim Bates, from Woodbury, is trying to raise awareness of the traffic problems the village's residents have to put up with.

In one year Kim has had three cars written off due to vehicles colliding with her parked car.

"On February 1, 2019, my Citroen Estate was wrecked and written off by insurers when a driver ploughed into it outside my house," said Kim.

"My car was shunted approximately 18 feet into my neighbours car which was pushed further up the road. It was parked legally. I bought another car.

"On March 1, 2019, my Vauxhall Vectra was wrecked and written off by insurers when a skip lorry ploughed into it outside my house. I had this car for six days. Again it was pushed up onto the pavement even though legally parked on the road. I bought another car.

"On February 26, 2020, this car was wrecked and is in the process of being written off by insurers.

"I'm now getting used to the excuses, the stress and it's becoming nerve racking just waiting for the bang. This car was shunted approximately 15 feet into my neighbours car which went into his neighbour's car.

"We at New Buildings do not have drives or a lay by to park in. We have no protection and no means to stop the traffic from damaging vehicles in this way.

According to Kim the village has inadequate street signs, and the village's speed warning light is 'too far down the village' and 'even worse are the hatch markings which are making matters worse on a 'B' road and really shouldn't be there'.

There are also no signs warning drivers that the village has a zebra crossing, resulting in 'some drivers using it as a race track'.

Kim is compiling statistics on the number of crashes which have taken place in the village and claims that nine incidents have resulted in a vehicle being written off in the past nine years.

She added: "The people of this village are now as fed up as I am, of being treated with speeding, complacency and the disrespect of through traffic and those in authority."

Nub News contacted Devon County Council for a response to Kim's complaints. Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: "Our highways and road safety team would be happy to arrange a site meeting. The last five years of our validated records show there have only been two reported slight incidents within the 30mph limits on Globe Hill and Broadway and these were not speed related."