Speed on country roads could slow to 40mph (From Falmouth Packet)

Speed on country roads could slow to 40mph

3:10pm Sunday 15th July 2012 in News

Countryside campaigners have won victory as lower speed limits are proposed in rural areas.

A consultation on new Government guidance for local authorities on how to set speed limits was announced today. It includes proposals for use of 40 mph zones on minor rural roads, particularly in scenic areas.

Ralph Smyth, senior transport campaigner for the Campaign for Protection of Rural England, said: “Since the last speed limit guidance was published, deaths on rural roads have tragically increased from half of all road deaths to over two thirds . While the UK has made urban areas safer with the roll-out of 20 mph zones, we need to do something similar in the countryside.

“If we want to have an enviable safety record in our countryside, whether for drivers, dog-walkers, cyclists, riders or wildlife, it’s time for 40 mph zones to become the norm on minor rural roads. We are delighted the Government has listened to us and is encouraging highway authorities to pilot these zones.”