New 20mph speed limit outside Telford school to improve road safety
A new speed limit has been introduced outside a Telford primary school to improve road safety for pupils.
Traffic along several roads in Sutton Hill, must adhere to the new 20mph restriction following complaints from residents of speeding and near misses close to Sir Alexander Fleming Primary School, in Southgate.
The move follows backing by ward councillors for the 20's Plenty For Us campaign, an initiative set up to reduce accident figures.
Roads now subject to a 20mph limit are Southgate, Southfield, Spring Meadow and Stonedale. The order came into force on April 3 with new signs installed at the entrance to the estate and '20mph' painted on the carriageways.
Sutton Hill & Madeley ward councillors Paul Watling and Janice Jones worked with residents and highways officers on the scheme which has seen £2,000 spent to install the speed limit signs in the streets affected the funding has come from the area's Pride Fund awarded by Telford & Wrekin Council.
Councillor Watling said: "We believe that 20 is plenty outside schools and that is why we're backing the campaign. We would like to see the speed limit reduce along roads where schools are located to improve safety.
"In Sutton Hill there are particular issues especially outside the Sir Alexander Fleming school. There is an issue with speeding along that road and drivers to go too fast there. There is traffic calming already in place there with chicanes.
"The next thing we would like to do is get some element of traffic calming on the ring road and we're currently talking to the highways officers about the best way forward with that."
Notices have been advertised in the vicinity to warn of the changes.
The national 20’s Plenty For Us campaign says a reduction in speed limits from 30mph to 20mph sharply increases the chances of a pedestrian or cyclist surviving an accident, and also has environmental and public health benefits.
Official speed reduction schemes in the borough include the B4373 Ironbridge Road outside Abraham Darby Academy, in Madeley.
Other schemes in the pipeline include Coach Central, in Telford town centre, The Dale in Church Aston, The Spinney outside the primary school in Preston upon the Weald Moors, and Madeley High Street.
Telford & Wrekin Council said requests for a 20mph limit are considered on a case by case basis depending on the location, existing speeds, traffic flows and pedestrian activity and there are no plans for a blanket approach in the borough.
The 20’s Plenty For Us body has branches in Church Stretton, Ludlow, Oswestry, Shifnal and Shrewsbury where 20mph roads include Sandy Lane and Crowmere Road.
