Bungay Halloween pumpkins used to spook speeding drivers

Bridge Street had attracted many people to the town for its pumpkin festival in past years.

People in the street revived the tradition for this year and at the same time carried out a pumpkin protest.

Instead of carving faces in the pumpkins they carved the number 20 to mark the speed limit that has been in place in the street for many years, but which they claim many drivers ignore.

In 2004 the street was made one-way down the hill, and some years later the 20mph speed limit was introduced, with a flashing speed sign installed.

Janet Kirkleys, who lives in the street, said: “This 20mph limit is universally ignored.

"Over half a million cars now travel down Bridge Street every year and a large proportion of them are breaking the law by speeding.

“The impact of this is devastating, with residents being afraid to use their front doors and being fearful for their own safety and other families and children.

“The beautiful listed Grade II buildings shake as traffic passes. The houses are built without foundations on a sand escarpment and are subject to increasing damage.”

Janet Kirkley with some of the 20mph pumpkins she has carved to highlight speed in Bridge Street, Bungay (Image: Terry Reeve)

And while there is a 7.5-tonne weight limit on traffic using Bridge Street and over the bridge at the bottom, that was also frequently ignored, she said.

She claimed the bridge had cracks in it “which are almost certainly being made worse by heavy traffic”.

Ms Kirkley said an estimated 50,000 vehicles break the law every year, by speeding down Bridge Street, over the bridge and across Ditchingham Dam, where residents were also concerned about the speed of traffic through their 30mph limit.

Pumpkins with the 20mph message in Bridge Street, Bungay (Image: Terry Reeve)

She would like to see the one-way reversed so traffic travelled up the hill and not down, thus forcing it to drive more slowly.

Suffolk County Council was asked to comment on the road safety call.