Speeding tractors being driven at ‘abominable’ standards in a rural Pembrokeshire village - whilst their drivers are also on their mobile phones, have been reported to police.
Raising the matter at this month’s meeting of East Williamston Community Council, an email from Cllr Day regarding tractors being driven at speed along narrow roads with their drivers on their phones was discussed around the table.
County councillor for the ward Cllr Jacob Williams told members that he had been contacted about the intensity of the farm road tanker movements along Templebar Road, Bush Lane, and through Pentlepoir on the A477 towards Tenby.
“Towed by tractors, whose drivers could frequently be observed driving to abominable standards, these large units are not suited to such frequent use on minor roads,” Cllr Williams said.
“Among the concerns raised were speeding, the churning up of verges and bringing mud onto the highway.
“Certain residents have particular concern that their property's water stopcock - which is inches from the verge - is liable to be hit.”
Cllr Williams said that he has raised such concerns with Pembrokeshire Council’s highway department - but was not confident that there was any prohibition or restrictions which PCC, as the highways authority, could introduce.
He said that he was confident that he would be told that poor driving and such breaches, were a matter solely for referral to the police.
Highlighting that this had emerged as such a great source of frustration to so many local residents, Cllr Williams feared that the trend of intensive farming was unlikely to see any improvement to the situation any time soon.
Members of the Community Council agreed to report the matter to PCSO Ffion Thomas, requesting for this practice to be monitored by the Police.
At last month’s meeting of the Community Council, Cllr Williams sought the views from members on a resident's suggestion that a mini roundabout on the A478, similar to those which had been placed on this road's junctions with Templebar Road and Station Road in Pentlepoir, could be installed at the end of Valley Road, Wooden, to help reduce the speed of traffic coming through the area.
Cllr Williams also touted the idea of situating a ramp on the A478 northbound entrance to the Templebar Road mini roundabout, with the aim of reducing the speed of traffic joining from the Tenby direction, which he stated had not seen any noticeable corresponding decrease following the 20mph speed limit introduction.