Since our public meeting in July last year on speeding and anti-social behaviour on the Dearne Valley Parkway, I have been working with South Yorkshire Police, Barnsley Council, and John Healey MP to address the concerns raised, and I just wanted to provide a short update on where things stand.

South Yorkshire Police and Barnsley Council’s Highways Department have informed me that they are continuing to actively monitor this issue. There are regular South Yorkshire Police patrols in the area as part of their daily patrol plan, and a number of drivers have been spoken to about their behaviour in recent months.

However, there will be times when the Police aren’t in the area, and it’s important that residents continue to report issues as and when they arise, so the Police are aware of what is happening and when the problem times are, and can react accordingly. You can report incidents through 101 or online: https://www.reportingcrime.uk/

I’m also aware of long-standing issues at Cortonwood, and I’m pleased that the retail park has agreed to close its barriers each evening to prevent car meet ups at the site. This will be monitored by Rotherham Council’s out-of-hours team. Alongside this, John Healey is pushing Rotherham Council to ensure that preparations are in place for a cross-boundary injunction to be introduced to prevent certain anti-social activities, if this is deemed necessary.

Speeding and anti-social behaviour on the Dearne Valley Parkway is something that residents have had to put up with for far too long. I know how disruptive this is, and I will continue to push for further actions to address these problems. I will make sure I keep residents updated moving forward, and if I can support you with anything in the meantime, please do email me at [email protected]