Households across Wirral consulted on plans to create three 20mph zones in Wallasey, Bromborough and Rock Ferry

Jan 23 2013 by Lorna Hughes, Heswall News

HOUSEHOLDS across Wirral are being asked about plans to create three 20mph zones in the borough.

Wirral Council is planning to introduce the speed limits for drivers in residential areas of Wallasey, Rock Ferry and Bromborough.

The £20,000 zones were asked for by area forums last year and would be funded through a grant from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund for road safety schemes.

It is hoped the limit, which has long been backed by councillors and action campaign group 20’s Plenty for Us, will encourage drivers to slow down in some of Wirral’s busiest residential areas.

Residents were sent consultation letters about the proposals last week and have until Friday, February 8, to respond.

Liscard councillor Darren Dodd said: “One of the most common complaints we receive is about speeding cars in residential areas.

“It’s not necessarily a case of drivers travelling faster than the speed limit. It can be driving faster than is safe for roads of that size or roads that are congested.

“Twenty is a sensible speed limit for a lot of back roads and narrower roads that have become used as main roads over the years.

“There is a lot of evidence from other areas that have run similar schemes that show drivers do take notice and the overall average speed is reduced.

“We have been working hard with officers to agree this plan and we urge all residents to take part in the consultation.”

In Wallasey the proposed limit will apply to the area around Station Road, taking in Marlowe Road, Rullerton Road and Cliff Road.

The Rock Ferry zone would cover the Cavendish Drive area and the Bromborough zone would be around Neville Road.

The zones would be marked with 20mph signs to warn drivers about the speed limit.

But a letter to Wirral Council from Merseyside Police when the zones were first proposed said enforcement operations would be put in place “only when an issue is identified” to prevent punishing “genuine drivers” who did not know the speed limit had been reduced.

l WHAT do you think about the proposals? Will it make Wirral’s roads safer?

E-mail newsdesk@wirralnews.co.uk or send your views to @WirralNews on Twitter.