BETWS pedestrians are running the gauntlet of a minority of speeding motorists who drive “like grounded kamikaze pilots”, according to local councillor Annette Price.

She called for traffic-calming measures outside Betws Primary School and claimed traffic bosses had their priorities all wrong.

“They have speed bumps outside a car park in Llandybie but not outside a school,” she told colleagues. “Where are their priorities?”

Her comments prompted Pc Steve Mor - ris to offer to come up to the village and stand vigil with a speed gun. “Anyone with concerns about speeding vehicles can stand alongside me if they like,” he said. “While I accept that speeding is an issue in some communities, sometimes it is the perception of speed that is the problem – not the actual speed of vehicles. People who speed will speed and they will eventually get caught.”

Welcoming the officer’s pledge, county councillor Ryan Bartlett said there was “conflicting” evidence about the extent of speeding in the village. “Every week you read in the Guardian about these problems all over the place,” he added.

But Alderman Arnallt James maintained concerns were genuine and said he feared for the safety of schoolchil - dren. “The main cause of fatal road accidents is speed,” he said, “and the main issue here in Betws is the speed of vehicles.”

His views were echoed by Cllr Price.

“Some of these speeders are like grounded kamikaze pilots,” she said.