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Council 'dragging its feet' over speed limit changes

BBC A man wearing glasses, a beige baseball cap, a dark grey t-shirt and a blue denim shirt over the top, standing in front of a narrow, single-carriageway road with shrubbery on both sides and no pavement.BBC
Simon Chapman started a petition calling for the speed limits of some roads to be lowered

A council has been accused of "dragging its feet" over possible changes to speed limits on rural roads.

Activist Simon Chapman started a petition calling for Wokingham Borough Council to lower limits on narrow roads without footpaths from 60mph to 30mph.

"The neighbouring authorities have done that... so why is Wokingham dragging its feet?" he said.

The council said it was reviewing speed limits on some roads, but said any change would require a detailed traffic regulation order.

A woman wearing a pink top and light grey shorts and a man wearing a gilet and beige shorts walk along the edge of a road with their backs to the camera. There's no pavement so they're having to walk in the road and they're approaching a blind bend.
Many of the roads have no pavement or footpath

Campaigners have highlighted Bear Lane, Blakes Lane and Castle End Road as examples where the national speed limit roads of 60mph have no footpaths or street lighting, leaving walkers vulnerable to fast-moving vehicles.

"Any speed here above 30 is dangerous because there are always going to be people in the road, and there are bends here and dark areas under the trees," said Mr Chapman.

"We need to 30 to be in drivers' heads when they come into these lanes so that they don't put their foot down straight away when they come off the main road."

Opposition Conservative councillor Wayne Smith said the council could change the speed limit.

"The council have the power to do it and not hide behind accidents, and hide behind the police," he claimed.

Two grey cars meeting at a sharp bend in a country road. They're each on their own side of the road but there is not much space between them. There's shrubbery on both sides of the road and a brick building in the background.
Mr Chapman said any speed above 30 was dangerous

Lib Dem councillor Paul Fishwick, member for transport, said: "We are currently reviewing the speed limits on Blakes Lane, Tag Lane and similar roads in the area for possible reductions, but any changes would require a detailed Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process, as well as the installation of new signs.

"Additionally, we are in the process of drafting a new policy for rural speed limits in the borough, which will provide clearer guidance and could help get more appropriate speed limits on our roads."

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