A 30 MILES PER HOUR speed limit is set to be introduced to Swanbridge Road, Cog Road and Sully Road.

The matter was presented before the Vale Council’s cabinet and approved by councillors on Monday, January 13, this week.

A report before cabinet said: “The reason for the introduction of the 30mph limit through this area was that it has been identified that some of the lighting columns along the route are further apart than the maximum distance of 183 metres to automatically render the speed limit to be 30mph by virtue of street lighting. Therefore a formal Traffic Regulation Order is required to make the road 30mph.”

It added: “The proposal would also extend the existing 30mph restriction along Cog Road to its junction with Swanbridge Road, including the southernmost section of Sully Road. This would greatly enhance the road safety situation at the triangular junction of these roads.”

The report added that it had received one objection from councillor Anthony Ernest due to “the creep of speed restrictions in the eastern side of the Vale”, that of the six injury accidents and one fatal mentioned in the report three of the casualties were in the same vehicle, and that “there are very few properties along these roads and we should not legislate for bad or incompetent drivers” .

A traffic officer replied that the speed limit being proposed was to improve road safety and had the full support of the police, the injury accidents recorded, including the fatal, actually relate to separate collisions, and the “Council has an obligation under the Highways Act 1980 and the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to improve road safety where issues are clearly apparent and may be found negligent if it does not meet its obligations in this regard.”

The report added the cost of implementing the scheme will be in the region of £1,650, which will be funded by the Council’s Traffic Management Revenue Budget 2013/14.