SAFETY concerns have been raised after a motorist was clocked travelling at 73mph outside a Newquay school.

Newquay Town Council’s new speed activated awareness sign erected at William Hosken Road outside Nansledan School recorded the motorist’s excessive speed.

The authority plans to use the speed as evidence to show a permanent traffic calming measures are needed in “critical areas” in Newquay such as outside schools.

Councillors are also calling on the police to carry out extra speed enforcement in areas where motorists have been travelling at excessive speeds.

Newquay Town Council’s environment and facilities committee discussed the issue at its recent meeting. Councillors agreed the public needed to be made aware of the excessive speed.

Mayor Drew Creek said: “We can’t have cars driving at these high speeds anywhere near a school and so I hope that this leads to better enforcement and prevention of speeding in this area.

“The safety of families but particularly children is paramount. I hope we see Cornwall Council working with the police to ensure this is dealt with before someone gets hurt.

Cllr Andy Hannan added: “Seventy-three mph outside Nansledan School is just outrageous. I find the speed both unbelievable and extremely disturbing.

“It reinforces our decision to support the provision and installation of these cameras because it allows us to present evidence to Cornwall Council to encourage them to provide us with a more permanent way of monitoring and limiting speed in the town, especially around these critical areas such as schools.”

The speed awareness cameras warn motorists exceeding the speed limit to slow down.

Newquay Town Council has erected speed activated awareness signs at Pentire Road, Tower Road, Treloggan Road, Trevemper Road by the Trenance Gardens, at Porth as well as at William Hosken Road.

The six cameras will be moved around the town regularly depending on where speeding has become a problem.

Councillors have championed the installation of the cameras following complaints from resident’s groups and schools throughout Newquay who highlighted speeding hotspots and asked for action to be taken.

The longstanding project has required the devolution of powers from Cornwall Council to the town council which has taken an extended period of time to achieve.

The signs will not issue tickets but will act as guidance and a warning to motorists who are not familiar with the area and gather data on speeding and car movements for both Cornwall Council and the police.

The cameras have been paid for with money from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), the contribution to local infrastructure paid by local developers when they build new housing.

Similar signs have been used to gather the necessary data before the installation of permanent speed cameras.