A townwide 20 mph zone was proposed with backing from a parent whose child was struck by a car.
The Cambridgeshire County Council is recommending lowering the speed limit in Fulbourn, which is close to Cambridge, as well as in several areas of St Ives.
20 mph speed limits, according to the authority, are meant to “reduce traffic speeds to create a safer environment for all road users”.
It stated that the new limit will be “largely self-enforcing” due to the way the roads were built.
According to the council, the programs might lessen pollution, promote cycling and walking, and enhance quality of life.
The southern portion of the town is to be included in the St. Ives 20 mph zone.
It is suggested that 20 mph speed limits be implemented on several routes in Fulbourn, along with a 40 mph buffer zone on several of the roads that lead into the town.
Increase congestion
Mixed opinions were expressed throughout the consultation, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
After their seven-year-old was struck by a car on Knights Way, a parent in St Ives suggested lowering the limit.
“People drive too fast especially when there is a park with a lot of children,” they stated.
According to one respondent, the limits would make drivers less likely to use residential roads.
Some claimed it would be a “waste of money,” that it would “increase congestion,” that it would be “disregarded,” and that it would “only serve to increase people’s commute times.”
However, traffic cops assert that 20 mph speed limits could improve traffic flow during rush hours.
Limits for Fulbourn should be implemented, according to one commenter, “to lower speeds near schools, due to narrow village roads, to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians and for environmental reasons”.
In addition, Cambridgeshire Police expressed concerns about the lack of enforcement of speed restrictions on some Fulbourn routes. The police wanted to see more steps taken to make cars slow down.
On October 1, at a meeting of the roads and transport committee, council members will choose whether or not the proposals can forward.
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