LONGTOWN residents have voiced their anger over speeding Amazon delivery drivers causing a menace on the town’s roads.

Scores of people have taken to social media to complain about the problem as the self-employed drivers go to and from the depot on the Woodlands Industrial Storage Estate.

The facility opened at the end of January.

The issue had also been discussed at a Brampton parish council meeting and the leader of Carlisle City Council, John Mallinson, said he would write to the company.

Longtown residents have been angered over a number of “close calls”. One resident said: “One day, the stupidity of it all will probably end in tragedy.”

Another said: “They come through Sandysike in convoys sometimes, all driving like idiots and it’s only just starting.100s more vans to come out of there in the future.

“Shame they don’t teach the idiots to drive but it’s probably a case of out of sight out of mind.”

And another said: “I’ve had plenty of run-ins with them.

I had one overtaking coming toward me head on just past the Laversdale turn-off. “Another day I had one overtake me as I was turning right into Seat Hill Farm on that same straight just past the Laversdale turn.”

A resident said: “It’s only a matter of time before there’s a fatality.”

At a Brampton Parish Council meeting in October, chair Jenni Errington said: “I must have been passed about six times going down to Union Lane.

"A lot of them were on the phone as well.”

Councillor John Mallinson said at the meeting: “There has been a lot of misuse.

“It’s my intention to write to Amazon and see if they can have a word with the drivers; they could have influence and calm things down.”

A spokeswoman for Amazon said: “Safety is our top priority and we are committed to ensuring that the drivers contracted by our independent delivery providers follow all applicable laws and driving regulations and drive safely.”