Two new part-time 20mph speed limits planned

Herefordshire Council is to build on its successful pilot scheme by putting in place two new part-time 20mph speed limits – one at Madley primary school and one at Walford primary school.

The schemes, which come into effect on November 6, have been endorsed by the Department for Transport and follow an existing successful part-time 20mph speed limit outside Sutton St Nicholas primary school which started last year.

The part-time limits which will be indicated by signs with flashing lights will be in place for an experimental 18-month period during which people can comment on how successful they are. Herefordshire Council monitors the effectiveness of speed limits before seeking to make them permanent. 
Councillor Brian Wilcox, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: "These part-time signs will only operate at school opening and closing times. Flashing lights will warn motorists they need to slow down but, outside of school times, the limit will rise to the existing speed limits, helping to ensure traffic can keep flowing and prevent motorists from getting frustrated.
"We also want to encourage as many pupils as possible to walk and cycle to school. This 20mph limit will allow them to do this more safely as it will slow traffic when pupils are travelling to and from school," he added.
The part-time speed limits at Madley and Walford were chosen following consultation with the schools through the council’s Safer Routes to Schools’ Initiative.
Notices have appeared in newspapers this week announcing that work is to start on the schemes with it is planned to make them operational by November 6.