Cutting speed limits through rural villages will make no difference if there is no one to enforce them, a former police officer has claimed.

Parish councillors say despite blind bends, Shoscombe is treated like a race track by motorists and cyclists alike, and accidents are a regular occurrence.

They estimate speeds of up to 60 mph through the parish, which consists of a series of hamlets, and are calling for a mandatory 20 mph limit throughout.

One of the Councillors, Mary Upton, said recent incidents had included a resident’s car being hit by a delivery driver who admitted driving at up to 50 mph, and in another case, a cyclist riding at speed had hospitalised a pedestrian.

“Such incidents and accidents such as these are not rare occurrences,” she said. “They are frightening to experience. Children walking to school are the most vulnerable.

“Our Parish Council is committed to protecting villagers and others from potentially life-changing injuries and fatalities due to an increasing volume of traffic throughout the narrow single track roads connecting our five hamlets.

“Delivery vans and cars using our roads as ‘rat runs’ threaten the safety of local car drivers and pedestrians, including children walking to school.

“Cyclists travel sometimes at speeds beyond 20 mph along the Sustrans route.

“This increased volume is causing more frequent traffic accidents and incidents.”

There is currently only an advisory 20 mph zone near the primary school.

Ms Upton said: “We anticipate that a mandatory 20 mph zone throughout the parish will alert drivers to slow down as they pass along roads, often with steep descents, high hedges, blind corners and no pavements or street lighting.

“It will indicate to drivers that they are now sharing roads with other cars, pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.”

Speaking at B&NES Council’s transport scrutiny meeting on Monday, Councillor Alan Hale, a former police officer, told Ms Upton: “I have great sympathy with you. Do you really think people who drive in that manner, when they cannot see where they are going, are going to comply with the limits?

“A 20 mph zone isn’t necessarily going to solve your problems. It’s about driver education.

“Do you witness any enforcement? No. It’s not going to get any better.”

Ms Upton said: “Most drivers respect that 20 mph speed limits are their responsibility once they recognise the need to slow down; those who do not would be deterred by the mandatory speed limit.

“The extension of the 20 mph speed limits across the parish would act as a deterrent to those who would otherwise be unaware of those limits.

“As in other villages in Bath and North East Somerset, we would expect to be offered the same degree of police enforcement of mandatory speed limits.”

Stephen Sumner, LDREditor: We have been asked to clarify that the above photograph was not the same incident that was referred to in the article, of a delivery driver who admitted to driving at up to 50 mph. This was a different accident entirely.