SPROUGHTON residents today turned out in force to call for a 20mph limit in the centre of their village.Residents of High Street and Lower Street believe the speed of traffic is putting young children at risk as they walk to school.

SPROUGHTON residents today turned out in force to call for a 20mph limit in the centre of their village.

Residents of High Street and Lower Street believe the speed of traffic is putting young children at risk as they walk to school.

They gathered with placards earlier today to make their views known to motorists.

Claire Fuller, whose six-year-old daughter Abbie was injured after being in collision with a car's wing mirror in High Street back in July, has got together a 300 signature strong petition calling for the lower speed limit.

Mrs Fuller, of High Street, said: “Something must be done here before a child is seriously injured.

“The pavements are narrow and cars and lorries frequently mount the pavement to get past oncoming traffic.

“Every day parents put themselves and their children at risk to walk to school. We need action sooner rather than later.”

Simon Lavington, 65, a High Street resident and chair of the parish council's transport panel, said: “A recent speed survey showed that more than four-fifths of the traffic is exceeding the 30mph speed limit on High Street.

“This is putting children's lives at risk. The Transport Research Laboratory has shown that when traffic is slowed down to 20mph there is a 70 per cent drop in accidents to child pedestrians.”

Sproughton parish council chairman Simon Curl lives on Lower Street and has two children who have to cross the road each day to catch the school bus to Claydon High School.

He added: “The traffic situation in Sproughton has reached an intolerable level. Recent incidents, including the accident involving young Abbie, highlights the plight of residents.

“There is simply too much traffic, too many lorries and too many vehicles travelling at inappropriate speeds.

“We are calling on Suffolk County Council to take a proactive role in resolving the issues.”

County councillor Kathy Pollard, was there to support the campaign, said: “The problem is that the village is used as a rat run to avoid the busy Copdock Mill roundabout on the A12/A14.

“I have been campaigning with local people to improve safety on this road for the last 12 years and I am currently supporting their campaign for a 20mph limit in High Street and Lower Street.”