SIXTEEN motorists were clocked breaking the speed limit near a primary school in 90 minutes as part of a police operation in Lower Peover.

The Guardian was invited to a driver engagement day in response to residents’ concerns about people flouting the 30mph zone in Crown Lane.

Officers tracked motorists with a speed gun and those who broke the law were handed a £60 fine and three points on their licence or were booked in for a £75 speed awareness course.

“We had someone come through at 50mph today,” said PC Jim Shrimpton.

“They hadn’t grasped the gravity of travelling that fast in wet weather.”

Crown Lane has been identified as a problem area for speeding by Cheshire Police and Cheshire West and Chester Council.

A black box was recently installed in the 30mph zone for a week, which identified an average speed of more than 40mph.

PCSO Kelly Mankee said: “We’ve had so many reports from residents and we’re doing this to let people know that speeding through the village is not going unmissed and action is being taken.

“The most worrying thing is that there is a school so close.”

Anne West, landlady of The Crown, said one driver knocked down her pub sign four years ago.

She said: “They skidded off the road as they were going too fast on the bend.

“Somebody once went into a tree and the fence at 3am. It’s frightening because sometimes it’s not even 40mph or 50mph, it’s faster.

“I do get nervous because I take my dog out in the car park at night and see the headlights coming towards me at speed. On a nice day people roar through.”

PCSO Mankee added: “It’s a rural area and people see the open road. Often half the people we stop don’t know the speed they were doing.

“People say they’re in a rush, but it’s 30mph for a reason.”