Road speed limit could change after petition

Drivers have petitioned for the 50mph to be reduced to a 40mph zone

The speed limit on a road where drivers "fear accidents" could be lowered after councillors supported a campaign.

Residents launched a petition to reduce Cryers Hill, in Great Kingshill, Buckinghamshire, from 50mph to 40mph and it got backing from 185 locals.

In a North West Chilterns Community Board meeting on Thursday, councillors said the lower limit would increase safety as motorists entered an area near a school and agreed to undertake a speed assessment of two sections of the A4128.

Brian McCollum, lead petitioner, told the meeting: "This is not a petition about speeding on the road. It is actually saying that the speed limit itself is excessive."

According to the petition, residents on Cryers Hill experience "fear of an accident when they slow down to enter their driveways whilst traffic is racing behind them at speed", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Conservative councillor David Carroll told the meeting he supported changing the speed limit "in every possible way".

He added: "We have got a school further up the road, which is very important to us. I have been to the school to talk about this with the head. It will be of great benefit to reduce the speed there."

There was also discussion at the meeting about changing the speed limit on Valley Road, but this did not receive support from the council due to it being mostly rural with no buildings directly fronting the road.