Stock Village Residents Frustrated by Lack of Speed Measures Following Teenager’s Death

Residents of an Essex village have voiced their frustration regarding the absence of speed reduction measures, even after a teenager’s death. A campaign advocating for the implementation of a 20mph zone (32km/h) and average speed cameras in Stock has been ongoing since Freddie Coleman was struck by a vehicle in November of the previous year. The family of the 15-year-old victim recently characterized the prevalence of speeding in the village as “very scary”. Essex County Council stated that it had examined the potential introduction of such measures but was unable to disclose specific information until the completion of a full coroner’s inquest or court proceedings. Freddie’s friend sustained serious injuries in the same incident, which occurred at 08:20 GMT on 3 November as both individuals were en route to school. A 23-year-old man was apprehended on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and operating a vehicle while impaired by drink or drugs; however, he was subsequently released under investigation. Essex Police confirmed that investigations are ongoing. Last year, Freddie’s family honored his memory, stating he “was loved by everyone”. Stock Parish Council has since established a community speed watch group, utilizing volunteers equipped with speed guns to identify vehicles exceeding the speed limit. As of March, 335 individuals have been identified speeding within the village and received warnings. The council reported that one driver was recorded traveling at 51mph (82 km/h) in a 30mph zone during school commuting hours. The council had requested the implementation of several road safety measures, such as average speed cameras and lower speed limits, but none have been approved to date. A spokesperson for Essex County Council, responsible for local highways, stated: “We are not able to release details about fatal collision investigations until a full coroner’s inquest or court proceedings have taken place.” The spokesperson added: “If we identify a clear pattern of collisions during investigations, remedial measures will be put forward for design and funding. Any maintenance issues identified would also be addressed soon after the collision.” Data provided by the county council indicates that four collisions occurred on Stock Road, located in the village center within the 30mph zone, during the three-year period concluding on 31 August 2024. Of these, two were classified as “slight,” one as serious, and the fourth, which resulted in Freddie’s death, was fatal. Rob Pritchard of Stock Parish Council commented that “sadness had swept the village” a year after the incident. He remarked: “It seems that action is only taken after a tragedy – but here we have had that tragic event and, a year on, the road is in exactly the same situation as it was before.” He further expressed: “There is a real concern that something could happen again, that we could lose somebody else and that would be another family left to grieve.” For updates on Essex news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.