Shropshire Star

Areas across Shropshire could get 20mph speed limits if Shrewsbury pilot is successful

Roads across Shropshire could get reduced 20mph limits if a Shrewsbury town centre pilot is a success, councillors have been told.

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The council will now consult on the 20mph plan for Porthill and Copthorne in Shrewsbury

Shropshire Council's cabinet has approved a plan to go out to consultation on proposals for a 20mph speed limit in the Copthorne and Porthill areas of Shrewsbury.

The plan includes parts of The Mount and all of Porthill Road.

If backed by the public, the scheme would last for 18 months – and the results would be used to decide whether to introduce similar measures in other areas of the county.

If the project, which will see 30mph roads reduced to 20mph limits in the 'study area', goes ahead, Councillor Ian Nellins, cabinet member responsible for active travel, said there would not be an "excessive reliance on enforcement".

He said the initial approach would use signs and road markings, with the aim to change behaviour.

A previous 'liveable neighbourhood' consultation on plans for Copthorne and Porthill included a number of measures, with the 20mph limit attracting the greatest support across two surveys, with 83 and then 85 per cent saying they would support the proposal.

The cabinet's move to consult on the plan was welcomed by Porthill Green Party councillor Julian Dean, who said he was confident a trial would show that 20mph areas benefit communities.

He said: "We have the evidence that local people want safer streets, and that lower speeds are the key. Just look at the number of ‘20s plenty’ stickers on the wheelie bins in the area."

Councillor Dean added: "Support for some of the low traffic neighbourhood proposals was mixed, so I understand why we are going with a more limited but very welcome scheme.

"But Shropshire needs to be braver in trying out schemes like this.

"We know from other areas that once they are in place local support actually goes up.

"There is plenty of evidence that 20mph limits and measures to prevent through traffic in residential streets make areas safer and more pleasant to live in.

"They also reduce carbon emissions, because of lower speeds, less traffic and because people are more prepared to switch to walking and cycling."

The council's Labour group leader, Councillor Julia Buckley, said other areas of the county were keen to trial similar 20mph zones, and added that she hoped they would be given the opportunity.

She called for an area outside of Shrewsbury to also be given a pilot.

"It is interesting that on this pilot we are already hearing from neighbouring residents and streets that want to be considered, and as we know, there is quite a long waiting list of lots of other areas that have requested 20mph zones", she said.

"I am aware of some that were requested several years ago, they were approved then they were culled due to budget cuts, so you have a historic list of areas desperate for 20mph and I am aware of some new areas, in my own town of Bridgnorth the town council voted for unanimously for the whole town to be considered for a 20mph zone.

"At the performance management scrutiny committee we had a discussion about a pilot outside of Shrewsbury, so it is brilliant to have an 18-month pilot to collect the data and for us to have a look at what we can learn from that lesson, because what I hope it leads to is a much wider discussion about having a county-wide policy on this."