THOUSANDS of motorists break the speed limit along West Bay Road in Bridport every day, a new survey has confirmed.

Checks carried out by the county council during seven days in August clocked an astonishing 15 per cent of drivers going over 37mph.

The daily average of motorists exceeding the 30mph limit was more than 5,400. Of these some 440 were going faster than 40mph, with speeds of up to 55mph being recorded.

The figures sparked calls for action when they were presented to members of the town council's Highways and Transportation Subcommittee this week.

Coun Gill Fifield, who is working with county council traffic experts to combat speeding along the busy holiday route, said the 30mph limit was being regularly ignored.

She said part of the problem was that many tourists were unaware there was a speed restriction along the road.

The council was barred from putting up repeater 30mph signs because the area had street lights - but these were mostly attached to telegraph poles, making it less obvious that it was a built up area.

She said highways officials had now agreed to put up a speed indicator light (SID) along the road - an electronic device which flashes up a warning to motorists who approach it going too fast.

But Coun Fifield said they had only been promised it for one week.

Council Leader Charles Wild agreed that visitors needed reminding about the speed limit along that road.

Owning up to his "criminal past" he admitted he was caught speeding there 16 years ago shortly after he had arrived in Bridport. He had been completely unaware of the limit.

After the meeting Coun Fifield told The News that she was still analysing the results of the traffic survey which took place between August 10 and 16.

But it did show that most speeding took place at night, although the second worst period was between 7am and 8am.

She said the figures clearly demonstrated the need for more traffic calming measures.

The introduction of road markings to make the highway appear narrower over one stretch had helped, but further measures were needed if accidents were to be reduced.