Police object to speed limit reduction

The proposal would see the speed limit dropped from 40 to 30mph on Redbridge Lane

A speed limit on a road is set to be reduced to improve pedestrian safety, despite police being opposed to it.

Hampshire County Council is considering bringing the speed limit down from 40mph to 30mph on Redbridge Lane in Nursling, Southampton.

Hampshire Constabulary said the proposal could increase average speeds and objected.

The council said the change was "necessary" to improve safety for those using a nearby school, playing fields and football club.

The plan would see a reduction in the speed limit for a 375m (1,230ft) stretch outside the Bodding Avenue estate, in line with with the existing 30mph (48km/h) limit at either end of the road.

A council report said a lower speed limit would “improve the environment” for pedestrians and reflect the changes in the built environment and increased traffic and pedestrian movements around junctions.

However, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said speed monitoring suggested “that length of road is considered, by drivers, to be a 40mph speed limit”.

The force said it did not fit Department for Transport guidelines on setting speed limits, as it fell short of the guideline length of 600m (1,970ft).

This would increase average speeds from the existing figures as the speed limit signs would be removed and create unnecessary enforcement requests, the force said.

Unless traffic calming measures were installed, it added it would remain against the proposal.

The county council said traffic calming measures were “disproportionate".

The proposal is set to be approved by the council on 19 January.

The scheme would cost £50,000 and be paid for by developers' contributions.