A COUNCILLOR feels his calls to tackle speeding down a road near a school are being ignored.

In 2014 councillor James Abbott proposed a scheme to Essex County Council, to introduce a 40mph buffer zone near Rivenhall Primary School.

This was turned down by the county council and Cllr Abbott appealed last year.

The county council found a better option would be to extend the 30mph zone in Church Road by 100 metres, and get new signs at the school.

Cllr Abbott said the scheme sat with the county council for many months before going out to consultation.

A member of Essex Police has since objected to the plans.

Cllr Abbott said: "A single anonymous objection was received from the police and the scheme has since been rejected.

"I also raised this case with Roger Hirst, the Essex Police and Crime Commissioner, at the Braintree District PCC public meeting on October 12.

"It has the support of the church, school, parish council, councillors and a petition of over 100 parents submitted to ECC supported speed reduction at the school."

In July 2014 the county council carried out a speed survey, which found over a week 85 per cent of drivers were travelling up to 38mph in a 30mph area.

Cllr Abbott said: "ECC has referred to where the houses start but in doing so does not seem able to acknowledge that speeding past a primary school should be prevented.

"The police rightly devote a lot of resources to trying to stop harm but why then are the police and county council so reluctant to support the local community when it wants to make the environment at the local primary school safer?"

A spokesman for Essex Highways said: “Essex County Council consulted publicly on this proposal and as part of that process Essex Police objected. "Taking this objection into account, along with the fact that installing a 30mph speed limit on a stretch of road with open fields on both sides would be against council policy as detailed in the Speed Management Strategy, the proposal has been rejected.

"The local councillor has been invited to meet with the Cabinet Member responsible.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "Essex Police made an objection to the proposal. It is important that drivers appreciate the environment they’re driving in and understand why a certain speed limit is in place.

"If it isn’t clear why a speed limit is enforced, driving behaviour is unlikely to meet it.

"The proposal could have had an impact on the pre-existing limit, causing drivers to ignore it.

"An objection from Essex Police does not prevent any scheme from being implemented."