Towns and villages to get new road speed limits

Speed limits are expected to be introduced in towns and villages in Gloucestershire over the next few months to "keep people safe".

Gloucestershire County Council wants to introduce community-backed 20mph limits and other road safety measures as part of a major new safety programme.

Council leader Lisa Spivey said road safety is "one of our biggest priorities".

More than 150 parish councils and community groups in Gloucester and Cheltenham have already expressed interest in joining the programme.

Councillors will be asked to approve the Safer Roads and Community 20s programme at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Spivey added: "This is a practical, evidence-led approach that focuses on reducing serious injuries and deaths while working closely with local communities."

She made a pledge to cut speed limits when she was voted in as leader last year.

The council has secured almost £2.8m in funding to begin delivery of the programme, which will be rolled out over a four-year period.

The first phase will see the speed limit reduced from 50mph to 40mph on the A38 Tewkesbury Road between Down Hatherley Lane and The Leigh.

There will also be a reduction from 60mph to 50mph on the B4226 from Broadwell to Cinderford and the A48 at Minsterworth.

Spivey said: "It has really hit home, the amount of death notices I get. Husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends and loved ones.

I want to make sure we can do whatever we can and play our role in reducing those numbers," she added.

A stretch of the A46 Shurdington Road, between Leckhampton Lane and the Norwood Arms, will see a reduced limit in the summer.

Janet Warne, the chair of Shurdington Parish Council, said she hoped it would create more awareness on "one of the busiest roads in Cheltenham".

"It's quite frightening when lorries go past you because the pavements are very narrow. If they were going 30 you would feel a lot safer.

"There are schools here and further down the road, so there are a lot of school children. I'm hoping it will make people think, I've got to slow down," she added.

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