Councillors back calls to cut bridge speed limit

New Bridge takes the A171 across the River Esk in Whitby

Councillors have backed a petition signed by more than 500 people calling for a reduced speed limit on a "dangerous" bridge in Whitby.

Members of the Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee supported concerns that the limit on New Bridge should drop from 40mph (64km/h) to 30mph (48km/h) during a meeting on Friday.

They also agreed that a reduction to 20mph (32km/h) should be considered and an "emergency" traffic order should be introduced for the safety of students walking across the bridge to reach Whitby School.

Elizabeth Mulheran, a member of Whitby Town Council who started the petition, said there were currently "no safety measures in place such as verges or raised curbs".

"Many local pedestrians have to use the bridge to access schools and jobs in spite of not feeling particularly safe, while some local residents choose to use their cars," she said.

"This 40mph speed limit discourages people from active travel."

Mulheran also welcomed councillors' suggestion of a 20mph speed limit, which would need approval from North Yorkshire Council's (NYC) executive member for transportation, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The issue was also raised in Parliament earlier this year by the MP for Scarborough and Whitby, Alison Hume.

The authority previously said it would review the bridge speed limit as part of a county-wide road assessment, once traffic lights at the nearby Spital Bridge junction were working.

NYC's highways and transportation officer said in a report that the signals were "expected to be functioning by early December, which means the speed survey could take place in the New Year".

"The subsequent speed limit assessment is likely to follow shortly thereafter," the officer added.

However, councillors said that action was needed sooner and a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) should be introduced.

Committee chair Liz Colling said that necessary consultations could be carried out "while the TRO is in place for 18 months".

Councillor David Chance added the road was "very dangerous with children there in the morning and afternoon, and there's no verge at all."

The committee will now write to North Yorkshire Council requesting a speed limit change of 20mph.

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