Dorset Council Approves New 20mph Speed Limits Amid Safety Concerns
- A public consultation about the introduction of 20mph speed limits in Dorset is ending on November 15, 2024.
- Five areas, including Cheselbourne and Child Okeford, are targeted for the proposed speed restrictions.
- The council aims to enhance community safety while balancing practical traffic flow through these neighborhoods.
Drivers in Dorset are facing potential new speed limits of 20mph across five areas as a consultation process nears its conclusion on November 15, 2024. This initiative follows the Dorset Council's approval of requests from local councils aiming to enhance road safety in communities. The targeted areas include Cheselbourne, Child Okeford, Okeford Fitzpaine, Winterborne Kingston, and specific locations in Wimborne. The ongoing Traffic Regulation Order consultation seeks feedback from residents, who have until next week to voice their opinions. Council officials emphasize that these changes are part of a broader strategy to create safer and healthier streets for pedestrians and cyclists by reducing vehicular speeds where people live and play. Councillor Jon Andrews highlighted the council's commitment to responding to community concerns surrounding road safety while ensuring that the implementation of new speed limits is feasible for the police to enforce. The proposed changes are not blanket speed reductions but rather targeted interventions based on community needs and requests. Funding prioritization will allow some lower-priority schemes to move forward if local councils are able to self-fund their implementation, provided there is sufficient community backing. Despite support among some residents, others have criticized the current process for being overly complex and costly, urging for broader application of speed limits on all “C” roads. Such developments point to growing concern about road safety measures in Dorset and the ongoing dialogue regarding traffic regulation in local communities.