MORE than 600 Ryedale residents have completed a survey about issues concerning their neighbourhood.

The results reveal that 95 per cent of people felt the crime level in Ryedale was low or fairly low compared with national crime levels, while 98 per cent felt that the area was a safe place to live.

Speeding motorists and dog mess were the two main complaints with 55.7 per cent and 42 per cent of respondents saying this was an issue for them, followed by 33.57 per cent concerned about parking issues. Residents also continued to raise concerns regarding litter.

Of the responsdents, 87.5 per cent of residents thought they were well informed by local police and the district council about what is being done to tackle issues.

North Yorkshire Police, Street Scene and Safer Ryedale have said they will continue to crackdown on people who allow their dogs to foul on the footpaths of Ryedale by issuing fixed penalty notices.

They will also continue to work closely to improve the local area and ensure people are aware of their responsibilities to pick up after their dogs. Inspector Andy Everitt, Ryedale’s police chief, said: “I am delighted that such a high number of people in this survey felt safe in Ryedale as this is our number one priority.

“That said, we are determined to maintain Ryedale as one of the lowest crime areas in the country and will continue to rigorously pursue those persons who seek to commit crime and antI-social behaviour in our communities.

“Keeping our communities informed of what we are doing is also very important to us and I am pleased that a high number of people in this survey felt well informed.

Insp Everitt said that, in partnership with other agencies such as the fire service, they would continue to monitor speeding hotspots and run surveys on emerging locations before undertaking targeted enforcement work.

“In Ryedale all agencies work closely alongside each other to deliver the three main elements relating to speeding problems, those being engineering, education and enforcement,” he said.

“I know that parking is a problem in our towns and local officers and PCSOs will continue to enforce the law where necessary. Illegal parking and vehicles causing an obstruction in Pickering town centre are currently the subject of police enforcement activity following a local campaign to educate driver behaviour.”

The full results of the survey are published on the Safer Ryedale website www.ryesafe.gov.uk