Speed limit approved despite objections

A new 20mph speed limit is to be introduced on a Coventry road, despite objections from some residents and drivers.

Coventry City Council has approved a traffic-calming scheme for a section of Radford Road (B4098), between Lawrence Saunders Road and Beake Avenue, with the changes due to be in place by the summer.

The plans follow a petition by 297 people calling for lower speeds, but have drawn criticism from some who say they could make traffic worse in the area.

Council officers said the scheme was being introduced in response to "strong community concern, including representations made after a tragic fatal collision".

The council will also install measures like speed cushions, splitter islands and double yellow lines.

A new pedestrian refuge will be added, while a crossing between Wyley Road and Bede Road will be raised to form a "speed table".

The road, which is a key bus route, currently has a 30mph limit and is monitored by average speed cameras.

The proposals have drawn criticism from some, who said they concerned by the impact on traffic.

One objector said the scheme would lead to "penalise responsible drivers, increase traffic build-up and make our community roads less safe rather than more".

They added that average speed cameras already acted as an effective deterrent and that the changes would do little to stop reckless motorists.

Concerns were also raised about the introduction of double yellow lines, with one resident warning they could push shoppers into nearby residential streets.

The local authority said residents and businesses had been contacted twice about the plans.

It added physical measures like speed cushions and road narrowing had been proven to improve compliance.

"They are designed not to penalise responsible drivers but to create a safer and more predictable environment, especially for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and persons with mobility impairments," the council said.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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