SPEEDING has become such an issue in a small village that residents are wheeling out a new deterrent to put an end to the problem.
Parish councillors in Barton under Needwood are in talks to deploy a new method in their battle with speeders – wheelie bins with speed sign stickers.
The unique approach will see the numbers stuck on bins at the top end of the village in a bid to try and catch drivers heading from the direction of Yoxall and urge them to stick to the new 40mph speed limit.
However, one flaw might be the fact that the signs will be visible only once a week when the bins are put out for collection.
Parish councillor Alison Jones told the Mail that many people were still unaware of the speed limit reduction which came into effect at the start of the year.
She said: "It is fantastic that the speed limit has changed but some people are not aware.
"They are used to doing 50mph and may continue to do so.
"We know there is a problem with speeding and people don't always pay attention to the limit."
The idea for the scheme came after volunteers from the village's speedwatch team heard about a similar move in Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire.
Councillor Jones added: "Even if it just knocks off 5mph to 7mph it means going down from 50mph to 45mph and people may be less likely to kill somebody.
"Children walk to school, people cycle and this is why we wanted the speed limit reduced in the first place.
"It might be only once a week, but it will let people know that the speed limit has been reduced."
Staffordshire county councillor Tim Corbett is currently in the process of securing the 40mph signs, which will be stuck on the brown and grey bins should residents approve of the proposals for the area.
A council spokesman for highways said: "Our highways and safer roads partnership teams will be providing 40mph wheelie bin stickers to people living in Barton under Needwood to advise motorists of the newly-introduced speed limit.
"We hope this will increase driver awareness of the new limits and also that they are entering a residential area."
