THE campaign to get a ‘re-think’ on new traffic calming measures in West Bay is hotting up with more than 400 signatures collected over two days.

Members of the newly-formed West Bay Community Forum have been monitoring traffic at the new pinch point by Haddon House Hotel and the change of road priority at the end of West Bay Road.

They say it is clear the so-called traffic calming is not working and there have been numerous small accidents and general traffic chaos.

They also say pedestrians are taking their lives in their hands trying to cross at the new road priority and in places not clearly marked as pedestrian crossings.

Forum members Michael Nicks, Chris Cherry and Symondsbury parish councillor Malcolm Leighton have been doing their own traffic surveys and are calling again for representatives of West Dorset District Council to meet them in the Bay to discuss the situation – as a matter of urgency.

Mr Nicks said an independent safety audit done in April noted the pinch point rumble strip as an ‘area of conflict’.

He said: “It should have said ‘this has to go’.

“It’s lunacy.”

Mr Cherry added: “Pedestrians take their lives into their hands trying to cross.”

Mr Nicks said the roundabout already acted as a traffic calmer and the pinch point was an added confusion and frustration for motorists.

He said: “Between 1998 and 2012 there were only four minor recorded accidents, so why did they want to calm the traffic down?

“Since the works there have been quite a few unrecorded prangs.

“From West Bay it is difficult to judge whether to approach the roundabout when another vehicle is approaching from the Bridport direction.

“At busy times queues build up from this pinch point back to the harbour, and it is noticeable that some irresponsible drivers turn left at the Give Way lines and drive through the car park of Haddon House in order to miss it.”

The forum also wants to see the priority turn into the Bay revert back to the way it was.

Their argument is that at least 95 per cent of businesses and residents need to go right and their traffic survey in both June and July showed between 64.7 and 67.4 per cent of vehicles turned right.

In the six hours covered by their survey there were 3,785 vehicles coming to and from the Bay.

Mr Nicks said even with freezing temperatures at Easter there was traffic pandemonium and he has pictures to prove it.

Both Dorset County Council and West Dorset District Council say they are monitoring the situation closely.

County highways group manager Tim Norman said: “We are monitoring the situation and if any amendments are necessary we will in consultation with West Dorset District Council, make the necessary changes.”

West Dorset District Council leader Robert Gould said: “We have listened to the concerns local people have raised about the pinch point and will be actively monitoring the scheme throughout the summer season.

“We continue to work with Dorset County Council and local councillors to see what can be done to address any problems.”