SHAFTESBURY residents are demanding action on speeding vehicles, dog fouling, the security of buses parked overnight in their town and vehicles using Park Walk.

The 26 residents attending the public meeting at the town hall identified the topics to improve community safety.

They said vehicles are driving too quickly at Ivy Cross, Royal Chase, Salisbury Street and Coppice Street. They also want something done about dog fouling in Bimport.

The third priority is to maintain security of the buses in the Coppice Street car park, and they want officials to look at the issues of cars parking and driving in Park Walk.

The Pact meeting, which brings together a number of agencies including the police, local authorities and groups, heard that Shaftesbury has low crime rates and December had the lowest crime rate for at last 10 years.

Shaftesbury mayor Derek Beer said there were concerns about speeding as traffic coming into the town on the main road came past several sheltered housing complexes.

He said the issue of dog fouling had been raised in the past and was clearly an issue again. And he said they wanted to work as a community to ensure the safety of buses remaining overnight in the town, to ensure there was bus provision both at night and in the morning.

"There have been problems with people gaining access despite the bus company chaining them up, of people stealing the fuel, not necessarily the locals," he said. "The Pact is all about taking responsibility ourselves. We will work with the bus company to see if there's anything we can do to help them."

Since the October Pact meeting, organisations have been working to minimise the litter on Coppice Street and near the Upper School, a hedgerow management plan in Coppice Street has started and more bins have been placed within the school grounds.

There have also been increased patrols on Coppice Street.

The police have tackled speeding in Bimport, Coppice Street and Enmore Green, and have also seized three vehicles and issued seven notices to people whose vehicle has been causing a nuisance.

Police said there had also been increased patrols and increased use of CCTV after complaints about damage to vehicles in Bell Street, Enmore Green and Coppice Street.