A WEST Oxfordshire town will see dozens of 30mph roads lowered to 20mph in an attempt to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
The plans for Witney were approved by Oxfordshire County Council’s leader, Liz Leffman, at a meeting this morning.
The changes are expected to be implemented and new signs installed later this year.
The move comes as earlier this week, Wales became the first UK nation to lower the default national speed limit on residential roads and busy pedestrian streets from 30mph to 20mph.
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Andrew Gant, the council’s cabinet member for highway management, said: “This is a landmark moment for our ambitious 20mph policy, which we are spending up to £8 million on over a three-year period.
“Witney is the first and the biggest project we are undertaking in this phase of the programme and we believe these changes will make the town a safer, quieter, and less polluted place and will encourage more people to cycle and walk – reducing the county’s carbon footprint.”
“Witney is just the start, and more than 70 other towns and villages will be benefiting from reduced speeds in the next financial year – followed by hundreds more in the next two years.
“The recent decision in Wales shows that 20mph is becoming the accepted speed limit for residential areas, and Oxfordshire County Council is at the forefront of bringing about that change.
“It is well-known that the survival rate for people involved in accidents increases as speeds are reduced.”
Witney’s mayor Liz Duncan chairs a town council working party set up to develop the scheme.
She said: “It is exciting to see this comprehensive 20mph scheme coming to our town, bringing improved road safety for residential streets, reducing the risks of death and injury.
“We have received many requests from residents for the reduced speed limit and this whole town approach will bring huge benefits.
“As well as safer streets, other similar schemes have seen reductions in traffic noise, better air quality and increased physical activity because with roads feeling safer, people are happier to leave the car at home and walk or cycle instead.”
The changes, which had the backing of West Oxfordshire District Council as well as Witney Town Council, will also involve the reduction of some speed limits from 50mph to 40mph, and from 40mph to 30mph around the town.
The county council has already implemented five 20mph pilot sites to test the impact of the policy in Cuxham, Kirtlington, Long Wittenham, and Wallingford (central and north).
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This story was written by Liam Rice, he joined the team in 2019 as a multimedia reporter.
Liam covers politics, travel and transport. He occasionally covers Oxford United.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Liam.rice@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter @OxMailLiamRice
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