Swaffham could be first town in Norfolk with 20mph limit
- Published
A six-month trial of 20mph could be put in place in Swaffham, Norfolk
Swaffham could become the first town in Norfolk with a blanket 20mph (32km/h) speed restriction in place.
A six-month trial of the speed limit could be put in place following a campaign by the town council.
Campaigners said it could set an "encouraging precedent" for other locations across the county.
Norfolk County Council said a consultation would run at the same time as the trial and the scheme could be made permanent "depending on feedback".
A date for the trial has not been set but the mayor of Swaffham said it could begin within one or two months, depending on necessary funding and support from the local authorities and Norfolk Police, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Mr Bell said the town council "fully" supported the idea and was putting some money towards the trial.
"We do have elderly residents and if people can't just drive sensibly through a town centre, at 20mph, then there isn't an answer to it.
"So we have to do it [the trial], but it must be monitored - that's the point," he said.
Swaffham Town Council said it "fully" supported the scheme
Campaigns to introduce a 20mph speed limit are also under way in King's Lynn, plus across the border in Brandon, Beccles, Bungay and Lowestoft in Suffolk.
Several Norfolk villages have also called for the lower speed limit, including Barnham Broom where villager David Bell has collected more than 150 signatures in support of the 20mph cap.
He said the trial in Swaffham could set an encouraging precedent for other locations across the county.
"When you get into the hub of Swaffham, which is the marketplace, I think it's a very sensible speed limit, given the amount of pedestrians around there, especially on market day.
"So I think it's a worthwhile experiment," he added.
Earlier this year, Wales announced a 20mph limit for all built up areas would come into effect next year, with Scotland set to follow suit in 2025.
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