Agenda item

The Committee received a report in connection with objections received to the proposed new 50mph speed limit on the B1166 Drove Road between Shepeau Stow and Holbeach Drove but the proposed 30mph speed limits on the Dog Drove North and South as detailed on Appendix B of the report were supported locally. Officers stated that Holbeach Parish Council, not previously consulted, now supported the recommendations in the report.

The report detailed the existing conditions, objections received and the comments of officers on the objections.

Comments by the local member, who was a member of the Committee, included:-

·         He lived relatively close to the area of the proposed speed reduction and knew it well.

·         He was aware that the main objector had requested to speak at the meeting but had not been allowed because the public were not allowed to speak on traffic matters.

·         The length of road to be covered by the proposed 50mph speed limit was about ½ mile in length and residents had for some time been angry about the present arrangements where a 60mph existed for a short length of the B1166 between the two 40mph speed limits either side of it. The public wanted a 40mph speed limit on the B1166 at this location.

·         The Mean Speed reported was nearly a year old and since that time a large distribution centre had been built in the vicinity and there were regular deliveries by large HGVs who had no option but to use the B1166. Agricultural vehicles also used the road and all this traffic would have brought the Mean Speed down since the data was collected in January.

·         There were no footpaths between Whaplode Drove and the location of the nearby school in Shepeau Stow and there was a deep ditch on one side of the B1166.

·         The B1166 was not densely populated but highways were proposing to reduce the 60mph speed limit to a 30mph speed limit on Dog Drove South. Residents were confused that highways were proposing to introduce this limit on a road where there had been no accidents but that the road they had concerns about it was proposed to introduce a 50mph speed limit.

·         There was little chance of any enforcement of the speed limit and the only option was to use Speed Watch volunteers but they could only operate in 30mph or 40mph areas.

·         The accident figures shown were only for the last five years. He stated that having previously worked in the Fire Service at Crowland, he had recalled attending numerous serious accidents along the B1166 mainly at both crossroads.

·         Horse riders used the B1166 to get to quieter roads because there stables were located off this stretch of road.

·         It was noted that the objectors had requested various speed reduction devices but none of these could be provided. If a 40mph speed limit was introduced there would not be any need to erect new signage as the current 40mph speed limit signs in both villages could be used.

·         The local MP, who lived locally, supported the objectors.

·         While noting that the officers were required to follow by the Speed Limit Policy it was in the remit of the Committee to make a decision on what, in his opinion, was a special case.

·         He moved that an exception should be made to the Speed Limit Policy and that the speed limit should be reduced from 60mph to 40mph instead of the 50mph on the B1166 in the interests of road safety.

Officers stated that over the past five years there had been three injury accidents along the length of road under consideration and an accident rate of 36 had been calculated, which justified the introduction of a speed limit. Officers explained that the speed limit was set in accordance with the Mean Speed of traffic which had been measured at 49mph as shown in Appendix C of the report and this was in accordance with the Speed Limit Policy approved by the Council in 2015.

Comments by members included:-

·         If the current 40mph speed limit was extended between Shepeau Stow and Holbeach Drove the Mean Speed would be reduced.

·         There were few street lights on the B1166, there were cross roads and there was a deep ditch on one side of the road.

·         The local member had made a positive case for the introduction of a 40mph speed limit and it should be considered a special case.

·         If there was a 40mph speed limit along this stretch of road this would mean traffic would not have an opportunity to speed up when it left the villages of Shepeau Stow and Holbeach Drove.

·         Was there a need to re-consult the Parish Councils if a 40mph speed limit was proposed? Officers stated that Parish Councils and other agencies would need to be consulted.

·         A site visit was suggested but this did not receive support.

·         Could consideration of the proposals be deferred until the outcome of consultations to introduce a 40mph speed limit were known? Officers stated that it could take some months before the outcome of consultations on a 40mph were known.

Following further discussion on the proposals which included support for the introduction of a 40mph, support for the officer recommendation, the need to work within the current Speed Limit Policy and the need for the Executive Councillor for Highways, Transport and IT to review the Policy due to the extra traffic on the roads, it was -

RESOLVED (9 votes for, 2 against and 0 against)

(a)  That the objections be overruled and that the Traffic Regulation Order be approved for public advertisement as detailed in Appendix B of the report.

(b)  That, on implementation, the Order be monitored by officers, the local member and Parish Councils and reviewed in the future.

(c)  That the Executive Councillor for Highways, Transport and IT be requested to review the Speed Limit Policy due to of the increase in traffic in recent years.