A COUNCILLOR has spoken of her fears that Canford Bottom is being used as a “rat run” after the results of a speeding survey were published.

Parish and district councillor Janet Dover, pictured, said it was “frightening” to hear that one driver was travelling at 58 miles per hour through the village.

A speed indicator device was used outside the OneStop to measure how fast vehicles were travelling during a week in March.

Parish councillors discovered that while most of the 11,776 motorists recorded drove at just over 30mph, the speed limit for the village, eight people drove at more than 50mph on the winding road.

Cllr Janet Dover said: “It is absolutely horrendous to think of people driving at over 50mph in the village.

“It really is unbelievable. I don’t really know what comes over people. This road is often used by pedestrian and cyclists.”

Traffic calming has been in place in neighbouring Colehill for around four years after concerns the road was being used by motorists keen to avoid Wimborne traffic.

Cllr Dover said: “While the vast majority of drivers are responsible, there are always a few who cause problems. The question to ask is, are these drivers going to Colehill or Furzehill, or are they using the road as a rat run still?

“It is worrying and exactly what we don’t want, and that is why the traffic calming measures were put in place in Middlehill Road.”

Of those surveyed, 5,656 – or 48.03 per cent – drove at law-abiding speeds of up to 30mph. However, 1,052, or 8.93 per cent, drove at between 36mph and 39mph, and 270 drivers, 2.29 per cent, travelled at between 40mph and 50mph.

The survey recorded an average of 1682.29 vehicles on the road across the week.