ANGRY families have spoken of their increasing frustration over delays in introducing a 40mph speed limit on Spin Hill, Market Lavington following a recent fatal accident.

Brian Minter, who has spearheaded a campaign to cut the speed of traffic on the stretch of road between the village and the A360 at Black Dog crossroads, hit out at the county council for dragging its feet.

He said: "Sadly and with much anger I have to tell you that, despite assurances from Peter Harris, the casualty reduction officer, to take action and advertise the change in speed limit along this road after a meeting on September 8, he has done nothing.

"In fact, he plans to do nothing until the end of November. Even then, if there are any comments, these will go to the next regulatory meeting, which I believe will be February 2005.

"This process could run and run and in the meantime we have dark evenings, slippery roads and speeding cars."

Former parish councillor Sharon Charity was also worried to learn that it is likely to be some months yet before traffic restrictions are in place.

She said: "After reading the comments made in last week's Gazette following the latest tragic road fatality, I rang Peter Harris to ask when the work was going to happen.

"I was appalled to learn that it will be the end of November at least before Wiltshire County Council advertises the speed limit. Wiltshire County Council's regulatory committee made its final comments on this matter on September 8. The advertisements could have gone in the following week and by now the speed limits could be in force.

"The lack of urgency with which this matter is being treated is disgraceful. It is beyond belief that once again residents of Spin Hill face a winter in which cars are allowed to race up and down this residential road at 60mph, past children cycling and walking to school, and elderly residents without cars, for whom it is the only pedestrian access to the village."

A county council spokesman said: "Members of the regulatory committee backed proposals for lower speed limits at a meeting in September.

"We are in the process of implementing a number of new speed restrictions across the county and a date has yet to be set for the final implementation of the Spin Hill scheme."