This is a new page and does not contain all of the information that you may be looking for at the moment. We will be updating it regularly but in the mean time, you can use the contact us page if you are not sure where to report an issue or you may find the Dorset Council website helpful.
If you have witnessed or been involved in a road traffic collision, call 999 for an emergency or contact Dorset Police for a non-emergency.
Reporting a near Miss
Should Puddletown Area Parish Council ever wish to request a change to the speed limit through our parish or additional crossing facilities, Dorset Council require evidence. So if you have witnessed or been involved in a Near Miss please report it to Dorset Council. Click here to report Road safety - Dorset Council
Parking Issues
The Parish Council often received parking complaints however we have no power to act on parking problems.
Parking problems are dealt with by either Dorset Council or Dorset Police.
Dorset Police will get involved if:
1. A car is parked in contravention to the Highway code. Click here to view the Highway code Waiting and Parking Codes. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/waiting-and-parking-238-to-252
2. If there is a car parked and if a road is obstructed by a vehicle to the point where it is not passable. (The police will only come out at the time of the obstruction.)
Contact Dorset Police by calling 101 or use the web portal https://www.dorset.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us-beta/contact-us/
Dorset Council will get involved if:
1. A vehicle is parked in areas where there are local parking restrictions such as double yellow lines.
Contact Parking Services by calling 01305 228110 or email customerservices@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
If you feel that parking restrictions are needed where there currently are none, you need to request that the Parish Council considers the matter at a public meeting. Should the Parish Council decide to pursue this, Dorset Council will become involved and there will be several steps before restrictions can be implemented. To request this, please contact us.
Speeding
The Parish Council has a Speed Indication Device which is moved between Puddletown and Tolpuddle regularly. If you notice a problem with the device, please contact us.
Again, the Parish Council has no power to enforce speed limits. If you spot a vehicle speeding, try to note as much information as you can and report it to Dorset Police. They may not take immediate action but if enough reports are made, the area may be prioritised for police patrol vehicles or mobile speed cameras. We often get asked if we can ask the police to patrol for speeding vehicles and when we contact them, there are no reported issues so we are not a high priority area. It is really important to report all speed issues, accidents or near misses.
If you think that a speed limit needs reviewing as it is too high, you need to request that the Parish Council considers the matter at a public meeting. Should the Parish Council decide to pursue this, Dorset Council will become involved and there will be several steps before restrictions can be implemented. To request this, please contact us. Please be aware that we have acted on requests for lower speed limits in Troy Town and Waterston but the next step is to commission a traffic survey for each area and we have been told that any data gathered would not be worth anything during the Coronavirus lockdown as it does not represent usual data. We will pursue this again when appropriate.
Other Highway Issues
If you have spotted another problem on a road or pavement like a pothole, abandoned vehicle, faulty street lighting, weed problem or obstruction in a road, please report this to Dorset Council. If the issue is urgent and could cause or has caused an accident, call them on 01305 221020. This number is only for emergencies.
Dorset Police - Operation Snap
This service has been put in place to allow submissions of video and photographic evidence relating to driving incidents that members of the public have witnessed. This service has been produced with the support of the Department for Transport.
PLEASE NOTE: This secure form is for traffic offences, it is NOT for submitting footage of Road Traffic Collisions or any other offences.
Dorset Police cannot prosecute excess speed offences from non-Home Office Approved devices such as Smart phone apps.
Any reports of parking offences should be referred to the relevant local council or highway authority in the locality where it occurred.
You must be able to provide the registration number of the offending vehicle.
Click here for the link to Dorset Police Operation Snap digital submissions