Cumbria Highways speed limits concerns
A member of the public will raise the subject of reducing the speed limit on the A596.
Last updated 19th Oct 2026
Concerns over speed limits in north and west Cumbria will be raised at a meeting in Carlisle this week.
Members of highways and transport strategic board are due to meet at The Civic Centre on Thursday (October 22) where a member of the public will raise the subject of reducing the speed limit on the A596.
During the time set aside for public participation they will say: “Will the board commit to introducing a significantly reduced enforceable speed limit through Crosby on the A596 to reflect its reality as a narrow residential village street rather than a trunk road.
“What specific infrastructure assessments or widening measures will Cumberland Council undertake to fix these dangerous sub-standard crossing pinch points and ensure compliance with basic accessibility and safety standards.”
In addition, they will consider the council’s response to a petition regarding speed limits along the A689 from Hallbankgate and the border with Northumberland through the hamlets of Coalfell, Follysike, Roachburn, Tindale and Midgeholme.
The report states: “The Highways Department has recently undertaken an informal consultation exercise on the speed limits in Carlisle and its surrounding area.
“This has included the A689 between Hallbankgate and the border with Northumberland. The informal consultation has included liaison with the relevant members and the Border and Fellside Community Panel as well as an online consultation open to all members of the public.”
According to the report the Coalfell petition, which was signed by 63 people, requested to introduce a 30mph speed limit from the current national speed limit of 60mph.
The Follysike petition, which was signed by 10 people, requested to introduce a 40mph speed limit from the current national speed limit of 60mph.
And the Roachburn petition, which was signed by 11 people, requested to introduce a 40mph speed limit from the current national speed limit of 60mph.
The Tindale petition, which was signed by 41 people, requested to introduce a 30mph speed limit from the current national speed limit of 60mph.
And the Midgeholme petition, which was signed by 28 people, requested to introduce a 30mph speed limit from the current national speed limit of 60mph.
The report states: “The A689 is rural in nature and the national speed limit on the rural road network is 60mph on single carriageway roads.
“However, a lower limit may be appropriate and, if so, it should take into account the history of collisions, the road’s function, existing mean traffic speed, use by vulnerable road users, the road’s geometry and engineering, and the road environment including the level of road-side development.”
According to the report it is government policy that a 30mph speed limit should be the norm in villages. It states: “It suggests that reasonable minimum criteria for the definition of what constitutes a village, for the purpose of applying a village speed limit of 30mph, would be that there were both 20 or more houses, on one or both sides of the road, and a minimum length of 600m.”
The report states it is proposed to advertise and consult upon the proposed changes to the existing speed limits from 60mph to 40mph except for Tindale.
According to the report Tindale serves a small number of properties and is a no-through road. It adds: “Based on the character and function of the road, we do not consider a change to the speed limit to be appropriate.”