WINCHAM residents have given their overwhelming support to ideas aimed at cutting traffic speed and improving road safety in the village.

People’s views were sought in a survey by Wincham Road Safety Working Group, which comprises residents, parish councillors, PCSO Phil Hambleton and Wincham Community Primary School head teacher Diane Palin.

A majority of residents supported all but one of the nine suggestions from the working group, the most popular being a zebra crossing between the Spar shop and the Linnards Lane playing fields.

The idea was backed by 88 per cent of those who took part in the survey, followed by 84 per cent support for better enforcement against parking near junctions and on pavements and 81 per cent for a 20 miles an hour zone around the primary school and safer cycling to link Wincham to the Flashes.

There was also support for regular speed checks across the village, a restricted parking zone around the school and a Community Speed Watch for the village.

One in three people backed a no parking zone around the primary school, with more than 50 per cent against the idea.

Cheshire West and Chester Council is to be asked for speed data recorders and for details on interactive speed signs.

In addition volunteers are due to be sought to check speeds in the village, and a survey is to be organised on problems caused by cars parking on pavements.

“There is a consensus to have interactive speed signs, and Cheshire West could install speed data recorders at various locations,” said working group chairman Christophe Cenac.

“The group agreed that as a starting point we should find volunteers and use the existing speed check gun the parish council used two years ago.”

Working group members are due to walk through the village to count examples of nuisance parking, such as when a car parked on a pavement blocks the path of a pushchair.

“It is important to have a constant dialogue with the people of Wincham to keep momentum, and to start with ‘quick win’ actions to show the working group is achieving results,” he added.

“We do not want to be another initiative which talks a lot but does not bring results to the people of Wincham.”

Constant communication was “key to win hearts and minds,” he said, and stressed the importance of Wincham’s Facebook pages, Wincham Word and the school newsletter.