Speed limit to be cut near Rotherham primary school with 1 in 10 drivers speeding
The speed limit on part of Sheffield Road, Swallownest, near Aston Fence Junior School, will be reduced from 40mph under plans approved by Rotherham Council.
A 30mph speed limit and road humps are to be introduced outside a Rotherham primary school following concerns about the safety of pupils.
The speed limit on part of Sheffield Road, Swallownest, near Aston Fence Junior School, will be reduced from 40mph under plans approved by Rotherham Council.
The £75,000 scheme was developed after the school, parents and local councillors raised concerns about traffic speeds, particularly at the beginning and end of the school day.
Children must cross Sheffield Road to reach buses or vehicles parked on the opposite side, according to a council report.
A seven-day survey carried out in April 2024 found vehicles travelled at an average speed of 34.7mph, while 15 per cent were recorded travelling faster than 40.3mph.
The council said the road’s “wide and open” appearance meant signs alone would be unlikely to make drivers comply with a lower limit, so traffic-calming measures were also needed.
The new 30mph zone will run along the section of Sheffield Road outside Aston Fence Junior and Infant School, beginning near the Aston Way junction and ending shortly beyond the school. Two raised tables will be installed to slow traffic.
A wider 30mph limit extending from Aston Way to the existing 30mph section at Park Hill was rejected because the traffic-calming measures required would exceed the available funding.
South Yorkshire Police, ward councillors and the council’s cabinet member for transport raised no objections. Residents and Aston-cum-Aughton Parish Council were also consulted, with no adverse comments received.
The council has not confirmed an implementation date, but the scheme is funded through its 2026-27 transport programme and is expected to be completed by the end of March 2027.
The work will be funded through the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s Local Neighbourhoods Road Safety programme.
The council will now complete the necessary traffic order before installing the road humps and signs.