Final day to comment on 20mph speed limit plans

Plymouth City Council wants to  introduce 20mph speed zones in the Stoke and Stonehouse areas of the city

People have until the end of the day to have their say on plans to lower the speed limit on 98 roads in Plymouth.

Plymouth City Council wants to introduce 20mph speed zones in the Stoke and Stonehouse areas of the city.

It said one person had died and nine others seriously injured in accidents there between 2019 and 2023.

An online petition against the plans has more than 1,400 signatures.

Council documents said the proposal was designed to benefit both pedestrians and cyclists, including people with disabilities.

A similar scheme was introduced on Old Laira Road in Lipson in May 2022 and a 20mph speed camera caught more than 23,500 drivers going over the limit during a test period.

The latest plans include adding speed cameras and creating a new pedestrian and cycle crossing on Mill Bridge, linking Stonehouse Creek to Victoria Park.

'Really bad accident'

Some businesses owners have welcomed plans for a lower speed limit.

Bethany Cork, a salon owner on Molesworth Road in Mill Bridge, said "cars do come zooming down here" and with the schools around, introducing the scheme would "just be a little more reassuring when people are crossing the road".

Bethany Cork said it would be "more reassuring" for speed limits to be in place

Samir Abdullah, who works at a car wash on Wilton Road where the crossroads are controlled by traffic lights, said cars "just fly along this road" when the lights turn green.

"If somebody's coming out of their car, it could be a really bad accident," he said.

Mr Abdullah added that he thought the scheme was "a good idea".

Opposing the scheme is an online petition which argued that taxi firms could charge more because of increased journey times and delays, some vehicles may struggle with fuel economy on the hilly areas, and drivers may suffer from fatigue because of having to drive slowly.

The council declined to comment.