A COUNTY council response to the problem of speeding traffic on Okehampton's Upcott Hill last week came in for criticism during a meeting in the town.

Members of Okehampton Town Council had written to the county in February, asking it to look at different traffic calming measures in the area, including increased lighting, rumble strips, and moving the 30mph sign to the top of the road, to include Upcott Hill.

During last week's meeting of the town's planning committee, Cllr Kay Bickley was critical of a letter sent by the county's highways management team, in which it was claimed a 30mph speed limit could not be placed on the hill 'without departing from county policy'.

Cllr Bickley said she had 'scoured' the council's website for policy on 30mph speed limits and could not find anything of relevance to the case in question.

'It's certainly a policy that's not being adhered to across the county — there's a great deal of inconsistency in this policy, if indeed, it exists,' said Cllr Bickley, who did not feel the county's response addressed the key issues raised by the town council.

The committee has been told by the county that detailed speed monitoring along Upcott Hill was due to be undertaken — but that so far, police had been unable to identify a safe place at which the monitoring could take place.

James Anstee, of the county's North area highway management team, said: 'Once we have the speed date we will be able to consider alternative safety measures and in the first instance, we will be contacting the town council with our recommendations.'

The committee agreed the town clerk should contact the county council to make further enquiries regarding its policies concerning the application of 30mph speed limits.