Villagers 'safer' in 20mph zone, says councillor

Chris Whittaker said he had seen the "devastating impact" of speeding

A parish councillor says a 20mph speed zone would keep people safe in his village.

Westmorland and Furness Council wants to lower the speed limit on 28 roads in Cumbria.

Askham parish councillor Chris Whittaker said a "lot of tourists", including cyclists, visited his village, which is one of the areas proposed for a 20mph limit.

He said in his 25 years as a traffic police officer, he had seen the "devastating impact" speeding could have.

Westmorland and Furness Council has opened a public consultation to allow people to share feedback on the proposals.

It said the zones would only be introduced if "wider support" from residents could be demonstrated.

In Penrith, a resident told the BBC she visited Wales recently, where motorists now have to limit their speed to 20mph in built-up areas.

She said: "It makes you think, when you’re travelling round and you come across a 20mph zone it makes you slow down…it makes you more aware."

Another said the suitability of a lower limit depended on the area, and it would be more necessary in "built-up areas" opposed to "open areas".

Previous 20mph limits have been controversial, with some saying they slow down journeys

Westmorland and Furness cabinet member for highways, Peter Thornton, said: "We put a call-out for anyone who was interested in the new limits, and a lot of parish councillors came forward."

He said the drop from 30 to 20mph was not too big for drivers, but it could make a "huge difference" to how safe pedestrians and cyclists felt.

There was a smaller chance of accidents on slower roads, he said, and a "higher chance of survival".

The scheme will be funded by £300,000 from the Liberal Democrat-led council’s priority investment fund, which is ring-fenced to deliver local safety initiatives.