RESIDENTS have spoken of their disappointment after a campaign for speed reduction measures was rejected.

A petition was set up by retired resident Alf Hancock and Essex county councillor Colin Sargeant, calling for a speed camera to be installed on Wellesley Road, near the junction of Olivers Road in Clacton.

They warn cars are travelling too fast in the area and another accident - and possibly a fatality - is inevitable.

However, the bid was rejected by Essex Highways just days before joyriders crashed a stolen car through an elderly couple’s home on Olivers Road.

Mr Hancock said this type of incident will continue but he vowed to carry on the campaign.

He said: “The car must have crashed into the wall by taking the corner way too fast on the one-way system.

“Drivers need to realise that the corner is a sharp and accidents like this can easily happen - especially when someone is speeding - yet no-one seems to take notice of the bend.

“The car has gone through the gate and through the shed of that house before but this is the first time a car has actually gone through the house.”

The campaigners arranged for Essex Police to carry out a speed survey on Wellesley Road six months ago.

Officers found 15 per cent of 85,000 vehicles passed the survey point at prosecutable levels over six days.

Since August, the petition has been under validation by Essex Highways but it decided a speed camera was not justified.

A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: “Our validation study shows that this road does not meet the criteria for a safety camera to be installed.

“The average daily speed on this section of the road was recorded at 30.5mph and the 15 per cent of fastest speeds starting at only 35.1mph.

“The few incidents of higher speeds may be best dealt with by targeted police enforcement.”

Mr Hancock said the survey the police carried out still showed a total of 2,000 vehicles were speeding per day over the six days recorded.

He still believes a camera needs to be installed to prevent a fatality.

Mr Hancock said: “I am struggling to know how much further we can go to get a speed camera installed, but I intend to contact higher authority.”

A disappointed Mr Sargeant added: “We have done all of this work and have waited six months to find out a camera won’t be installed.”