Traffic monitoring carried out between February and August 2025 has provided a picture of driver behaviour across Bridgwater.
Data from Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) shows that the vast majority of vehicles are travelling within or close to the 30mph limit, though a small number of extreme speeding incidents continue to raise safety concerns.
Across the monitored sites, average vehicle speeds were generally modest, ranging from around 18 mph on quieter residential streets to 26 mph on major thoroughfares. The 85th percentile speed, a key measure in traffic safety indicating the speed at or below which 85% of vehicles travel, was consistently between 23 and 30mph. This suggests that most drivers are adhering to expected limits and that traffic flows are generally safe.
Traffic volumes varied significantly by location. Bristol Road was one of the busiest routes, carrying almost 182,000 vehicles in two weeks during July and August. Taunton Road recorded more than 152,000 vehicles in the same monitoring period, while Homberg Way saw over 158,000 vehicles, with outbound journeys slightly higher than inbound. By contrast, smaller residential streets such as Cranleigh Gardens and Polden Street carried far lighter flows, with 36,812 and 15,211 vehicles respectively across their monitoring periods.
While compliance was generally strong, the data did capture instances of excessive speeding. Bristol Road recorded a maximum speed of 90mph, the highest seen in the dataset. Other major routes also produced concerning peaks, including 84 mph on both Taunton Road and Homberg Way, 77mph on Parrett Way, and 74 mph on Eastern Avenue. Bath Road also recorded an isolated 84mph reading during night-time monitoring. These incidents, while rare, demonstrate that extreme violations can and do occur even on otherwise compliant routes.
By contrast, smaller residential roads demonstrated near-total compliance. Cranleigh Gardens recorded an average speed of just 15.66mph, with almost every vehicle below 30mph. On Polden Street, only three vehicles out of more than 15,000 exceeded 30mph, while on Mount Street all traffic remained under 30 mph, with most vehicles travelling closer to 17mph. These findings highlight the effectiveness of natural calming environments in residential areas.
Some locations did raise concerns despite overall compliance. On Bowering Road, which carried more than 62,000 vehicles, nearly one in five drivers exceeded 30mph and just over two percent travelled above 35mph. Traffic peaks on this road coincided with school commuting hours, increasing the risk to children and pedestrians.
Queens Road also showed slightly elevated risks, with just over four percent of vehicles exceeding 30mph and 23 vehicles travelling above 45mph. On Wills Road, outbound traffic reached speeds as high as 72mph, although almost all vehicles otherwise remained below 30mph.
The evidence gathered through this programme highlights a positive picture overall. Most drivers are travelling responsibly, particularly in residential areas where compliance is near universal. However, the small number of extreme speeding incidents recorded on major routes remain a cause for concern.
These findings will help to inform local discussions on enforcement, the use of traffic-calming measures, and wider community safety campaigns aimed at protecting all road users.
Cllr Tim Mander, Chair of the Amenities Committee, said,
“This data gives us a valuable insight into how our roads are being used. It’s reassuring to see such strong compliance in residential areas, but the extreme speeds recorded on some of our busiest roads are deeply worrying. We must continue to work with partners to explore targeted interventions that keep all road users safe, especially in areas near schools and homes.”
