The campaign to cut traffic speeds and road accidents countywide is being widened with 50mph limits on heavily-used fast roads, writes Ian Townsend.

The county wants all its villages to be subject to 30mph restrictions and is currently working towards that.

But on certain roads it wants the links between villages cut from the national 60mph limit to 50. Particular roads have been intensively studied to see where restrictions can produce the best results with fewer accidents and fatalities and the first of the major restrictions will start operating next month.

In the first move, the whole of the B4009 from Chinnor through Watlington to the county boundary near Goring is to be made a 50mph zone - except where speed is cut to 30mph in villages. Once that is in place, similar limits are planned on the A417 between Lechlade and Streatley and on the A329 between Stadhampton and Thame.

"The idea is to cut speeds and therefore accidents and fatalities" said area engineer Brian Short. "The measures follow intensive studies of the roads."

Story date: Friday 23 April

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