The village of Foxfield will soon get its long-awaited 30mph speed limit after Cumbria County Council's Local Committee for South Lakeland today approved the legal order required to bring new limits into force.
Now the work to install a new speed activated sign, change speed limit signs and road surface lines on the stretch of the A595 can go ahead to make the speed limits legally enforceable - that work should be complete by the end of March.
The change will mean that the speed limit through the village will be reduced from the national speed limit of 60mph to 30mph The approach to the village from the west side will be reduced to 40mph.
Cumbria County Council took over management and maintenance of the A595 from the Highways Agency when it was "de-trunked" in December 2006. Foxfield residents who had long been campaigning for a 30mph speed limit through the village had always been advised by the Highways Agency that 30mph was not an appropriate speed limit for a trunk road.
When the county council took over responsibility for the de-trunked A595 there came an opportunity to reconsider altering the speed limit.
County council engineers assessed the options and drew-up the plan to spend £25,000 to introduce new speed limits and to install a vehicle activated sign at Skelly Crag to warn drivers about excessive speed.
Public consultation on the plans showed overwhelming support the measures.
South Lakeland Local committee chairman Ted Walsh said: "We are very pleased to see this speed limit going in at Foxfield - local people have been calling for this for some time. Since we took over responsibility for the road we have listened to local people, objectively assessed the need for a new speed limit and acted to get the changes made."
ENDS
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