DRIVERS are still ignoring the new 20mph speed limit a month after it came into force, an Oxford Mail speed check has discovered.

The Oxford Mail revisited Morrell Avenue, East Oxford, a month after a first speed check and found 119 out of 163 vehicles – 73 per cent – were breaking the limit.

Vehicles included an ambulance, four private hire cars, one black taxi and a Royal Mail van.

Almost all Oxford’s residential roads and some parts of the city’s arterial routes became 20mph zones last month in a £300,000 Oxfordshire County Council scheme to improve road safety.

During our hour-long survey today, 71 motorists – or 43 per cent – were doing more than 25mph, meaning they could be fined and given three penalty points on their licences if stopped by police.

Hugh Jaeger, the county representative for the British Motorcyclists Federation and Bus Users UK, said: “If you set a speed limit that’s wrong for the conditions of that road, then a lot of drivers will not comply with it.

“I was worried this scheme would put the vast majority of motorists in a position where they’re habitually breaking a law and I’m sorry to be proved right.

“For certain link roads, which are rather wide and have good visibility, it doesn’t make sense for the limit to be as low as 20mph.”

A further 21 motorists – 12 per cent – were breaking the old 30 mph limit. However, the figures showed an improvement in the number of motorists obeying the law since checks we carried out on September 2, when the 20mph limits came into effect.

Overall, 12 per cent fewer drivers broke the 20mph limit, 10 per cent fewer exceeded 25mph and two per cent fewer were above 30mph.

Oxford Pedestrians’ Association chairman Paul Cullen said: “I’m really encouraged by the findings. I take this as a firm indication Oxford’s streets are becoming calmer and people are starting to take note and drive in the spirit of 20mph limits.”

Oxford Licensed Taxicab Association is sending out a reminder about speed limits.

A police spokesman said: “We always expected that it would take a while for the new limits to bed in, but it is pleasing to see that on the face of it, drivers are starting to alter their speed along this stretch of road.”

South Central Ambulance Service spokesman Alison Brumfitt said there were circumstances where drivers could exceed the limit without displaying blue lights if a sick patient was on board.

The service will investigate after an ambulance was clocked travelling at 28mph.

An Oxford Bus Company service was clocked at 22mph.

Operations director Louisa Weeks said: “At such low speeds, speedometers are notoriously unreliable and 22mph is well within the accepted margin of error.”

County council spokesman Paul Smith said: “The 20mph speed limit project is a long-term scheme that will be judged over the long term, not after one month.”