A survey sent by Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire, asking for views on the safety of the B581 road between Stoney Stanton and Elmesthorpe has highlighted significant concerns among local residents with almost 70% of respondents stating that they do not believe the road to be safe.
Alberto launched the survey in March earlier this year and wrote to over 1,600 households in the villages of Stoney Stanton and Elmesthorpe enquiring as to their thoughts on the safety of the B581 road and the possible measures they would like to see implemented to improve safety.
The MP has welcomed the response to his survey which saw almost 400 households in just under three weeks. Alberto organised the survey alongside the village’s County Councillor Maggie Wright and local campaigner John Taylor who was involved in an accident on the B581 in 2008, and his son’s girlfriend was also tragically killed on the same stretch of road in January 2019.
Alberto will soon be writing to all respondents across the two villages to thank them for completing his survey, and to provide them with a summary of the survey’s findings.
Alberto said, “I am immensely grateful to those residents in Stoney Stanton and Elmesthorpe who took the time to respond to my survey and to have their voice in heard in making the B581 road safer for all road users. A huge number of respondents felt that the speed limit on the road between the two villages was excessive, and so this will be my first port of call alongside Cllr Maggie Wright and Mr John Taylor in speaking to both Leicestershire County Council and Leicestershire Police in having the speed limit reduced accordingly.”
Leicestershire County Councillor for Stoney Stanton & Croft, Maggie Wright, added, “I am very grateful to Alberto’s office for carrying out this wide-ranging survey and providing residents with the opportunity to outline their views regarding the B581 road. Safety along this stretch is a big worry for local people, so I look forward taking this forward alongside Alberto and John to see some positive change on this front”.
Alberto concluded, “Respondents also identified their desire to see more high visibility safety signage on the B581, and a good number also expressed an interest in joining a Community Speed Watch programme, both of which my office will be exploring in greater detail. Further, the speed limit through Elmesthorpe village was also identified as being excessive, so we will be pressing for a reduction on that matter too. The safety of the B581 has long been an issue of considerable concern for local residents, so I do hope we can build on the results of this survey and ensure that the road’s safety can be all improved for all who use it”.
Alberto is pictured above with Leicestershire County Councillor for Stoney Stanton & Croft, Maggie Wright.
