Issue - meetings

          The Board considered a report which advised that an objection had been received, following public consultation, on a proposed Traffic Regulation Order to introduce a 30 mph speed limit on part of Lunts Heath Road, Widnes.  Due to continued housing development adjacent to Lunts Heath Road, requests had been received from residents and a Ward Councillor to reduce the speed limit over the full length of the route on the grounds that retention of the 40 mph speed limit was felt to be inappropriate. Accordingly in December 2015 the Council advertised its intention to introduce a 30 mph speed limit. 

          During the advertised consultation period one objection was received from a Lunts Heath resident. The objection related to interpretation of the DfT’s Transport Circular 01/2013 (Setting Local Speed Limits) and whilst quoting extensively from the document, the focus of the objection was that application of a 30 mph speed limit to Lunts Heath Road was not realistic or justified and that this Council had not complied with DfT guidance. Members were advised that the latter was not the case as Lunts Heath Road was a single lit carriageway road which had become residential in nature through development and on which the existing mean traffic speed had been independently recorded at 32mph. Therefore the introduction of a 30 mph limit was in line with current DfT guidance.

          RESOLVED: That the Board supports the proposal to make an Order to implement a 30 mph speed limit on Lunts Heath Road, Widnes as set out in Appendix B and to the matter being referred to the Executive Board for resolution.