Call for speeding fines to be waived after limit change

Speed limits have gone down from 40mph to 30mph along five stretches of road in Wokingham Borough

A councillor is asking for speeding fines to be waived as limits have been reduced along major roads in the area.

Parish Councillor Geoff Harper asked Wokingham Borough Council whether any speeding fines could be rescinded, arguing that there was a lack of communication with neighbours.

Speed limits have changed from 40mph to 30mph along five stretches of road in Wokingham.

However, as procedures for speed limit changes have been followed correctly, the request has been rebuffed, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The changes were initiated on Monday 30 June using a traffic regulation order.

The longest of these five stretches is the A329 Reading Road, running from Winnersh Triangle all the way into Wokingham town centre.

Mr Harper said he conducted a "brief survey" and he said "of the 40 people I spoke to, only 11 had heard about the speed reduction".

"None of them were aware of it before it was introduced.

"We at Winnersh Parish Council believe there are still people who are unaware of this.

"Due to the lack of resident communications, are the council prepared to rescind any fines issued during the period when residents were likely to be uninformed?"

Mr Harper's question was answered at a full council meeting by Adrian Betteridge, the executive member for active travel, transport and highways.

He said: "I do accept there could have been proactive in our communications around the date of the change, and the change process, and that doing so may have reassured residents about the transition.

"Lessons have been learned from this for any future such changes."

He went on to say that notifying neighbours by letter would have been an "impractical proposition" and added that speed limits are enforced by Thames Valley Police, not the council.

He added: "In the unlikely event that a resident has received a fine, they can, as ever, appeal the penalty."