Oxfordshire: More 20mph speed limits recommended

Oxfordshire County Council said the lower limit would improve road safety

A 20mph (32km/h) speed limit has been recommended for five more areas in Oxfordshire.

The county council will decide on Thursday whether to lower limits in parts of Banbury, Nethercote, Radley, Sutton Courtenay and Woodstock.

In Banbury, surveys by the council and MP Victoria Prentis found three-quarters of respondents objected.

However, the council said lower speeds would improve road safety as well as encouraging cycling and walking.

Banbury MP Victoria Prentis said the council was straying from government policy

The authority has already introduced 20mph limits in 108 towns and parishes, after setting aside £8m for the scheme.

The rule, already in force in the Bretch Hill area of Banbury, would be introduced across most of the town.

Ms Prentis, the local Conservative MP, said the council had moved towards a "blanket" 20mph limit in the town rather than considering it on a "road-by-road basis", contrary to government policy.

"Increased congestion" was the main concern of objectors, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Some Banbury residents fear the new speed limit could cause traffic congestion

In Nethercote, 20mph "may be too low a limit to be properly observed", a report to Thursday's meeting said.

It added: "Although there can be quite a high non-compliance with new 20mph limits, vehicle speeds are generally usually lower than the previous 30mph [48km/h] limit."

Thames Valley Police said: "Our stance remains that primarily 20mph speed limits and zones should be self-enforcing."

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