Authority leader objects to council speed plan
The leader of North Somerset Council says he will object to his own council’s plans to lower speed limits on a major Weston-super-Mare road
The leader of North Somerset Council says he will object to his own council’s plans to lower speed limits on a major Weston-super-Mare road used by 35,800 vehicles every day.
A council plan would see speed limits reduced by 10mph along the “collision-prone” A370 as it goes through Weston-super-Mare. Drivers are more than 10 times more likely to be involved in a collision on this 3.8 mile stretch of road than any other section of road in North Somerset.
Hugh Malyan, the council’s cabinet member for highways, said the council had to put road safety first and reduce the speed limit. But council leader Mike Bell is not happy with the plan. Mr Bell said: “I do not support this proposal and will be objecting in the consultation.”
He added: “Whilst I recognise the accident history, I do not believe speed is the issue and this is a change that won’t deliver the result wanted. Many collisions are caused by poor lane discipline, tailgating, distracted driving and sudden braking, not the posted limit itself.”
But the council he runs says that the impact on travel time is expected to be “minimal.” The stretch of dual carriageway makes up 0.5% of North Somerset’s road network but is responsible for more than 5% of all injury collisions in the last 30 years.
The council plans to reduce the limit on the Somerset Avenue section from Junction 21 to Airport Roundabout from 60mph to 50mph, reduce Airport Roundabout, Flowerdown Bridge, and Herluin Way from 50mph to 40mph, and Winterstoke Road and Marchfields Way from 40mph to 30mph.
Mr Malyan said: “The collision record for this stretch of busy road is ten times higher than it should be and speed is a key factor in this. By lowering the limit by 10mph we hope to reduce incidents and improve safety with minimal impact on journey times. The 10mph reduction will also improve fuel consumption and lower emissions which is good for the pocket as well as the environment.”
Mr Malyan is a Labour councillor for Weston-super-Mare South Worle — at one end of the stretch of road — while Mr Bell is a Liberal Democrat representing Weston-super-Mare Central — at the other. Both councillors are members of the council’s “partnership administration” which also includes Greens, Independents, and Portishead Independents, but no Conservatives or Reform UK councillors.
The traffic regulation orders to bring in the new limits will be advertised on the council website from July 16 onwards, along with a consultation in which people can lodge their support or objections. The work is expected to begin in August.