Scores of volunteers to be called on to help enforce Telford 20mph areas

Leaders at Telford & Wrekin Council are drawing up a new 20mph Speed Strategy detailing how they plan to add to the 45 schemes introduced over the last five years.

A further six schemes are planned as part of the council's capital programme for the coming 12 months, a report to a council cabinet meeting next week reveals.

Now, the council is looking at beefing up enforcement of the 20mph rules alongside the police.

The report to be considered on Thursday says: "Working with the Road Safety Partnership, town and parish councils and volunteers, the council will seek to co-ordinate the location of speed indicator devices (SID’s) and mobile speed enforcement vehicles to support the monitoring and enforcement of new and exisiting 20mph limits.

"This will be further enhanced by the council supporting over 100 community speed watch volunteers as part of the community speed watch programme."

Councillor Richard Overton, the council's deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, enforcement and transport said Horsehay and Oakengates are in line to have major schemes.

Councillor Overton said: “In recent years the council has made significant investments to ensure our neighbourhoods are great places to live, including £1,000,000 into safety outside our schools which will continue into 2023.

“There are forty five schemes already in place and six new 20mph speed limit zones are set to be introduced in the coming 12 months in areas where there are primary and secondary school across the borough.

“The zones have the potential to reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality outside schools, whilst reducing road traffic collisions and improving the health of pupils by encouraging active travel such as walking and cycling.

“We are also planning to launch a programme to recruit 100 volunteers from our communities to support in Community Speed Watch schemes. This work is delivered in conjunction with the West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership and we will be developing the scheme with them in the coming months.

“Locations are currently being confirmed, with two major schemes in Horsehay and Oakengates planned."

Most of the schemes are being placed near primary and high school. In addition, there are 20mph zones in 17 other areas across the borough with work continuing to explore opportunity to deliver further zones in residential areas, such as Brooskide, Leegomery, Sutton Hill and Woodside.

At the cabinet meeting the leaders will consider the rules they have for deciding if areas get 20mph limits.

Capital funding of £125,000 from the On Your Side Programme has been allocated in 2022/23 with a further £125,000 in 2023/24 to deliver Safer Routes to School and builds on previous investment of £600,000.

The programme and sites for these schemes are currently being developed.

Capital funding of £140,000 has been allocated for financial year 2022/23 to deliver two schemes that incorporate 20mph schemes in Oakengates and Horsehay.

The current 20mph zones and limits are:

• B5062 High Ercall Primary School

• Brunel Road near Old Park Primary

• Capewell Road & Teauges Crescent, near Teauges Bridge Primary School

• Castlefields Way & Majestic Way near Aqueduct Primary

• Castlefields Way near Madeley Academy

• Crescent Road area, adjacent to HLC

• Ellens Bank near Lightmoor Village Primary School

• Gatcombe Way, near Redhill Primary Advisory

• Grange Avenue near Telford Park and Grange Park Primary Schools

• Grove Street & Stafford Street, near St Georges C of E Primary

• Harley Close area, Wellington

• Hartshill near Wombridge Primary

• Holyhead Road, near Short Wood Primary

• Ironbridge Road & Woodside Avenue near Abraham Darby Academy and Woodlands Primary School

• Marshbrook Way, near Muxton Primary

• New Road & Church Road, Wrockwardine Wood Infant School

• Newport Town Centre

• Northfield Street, Telford Town Centre

• Oakengates Town Centre

• Old Office Road, near Ladygrove Primary

• Park Avenue, Madeley

• Park Road, near Donnington Wood C of E Junior School

• Preston upon the Weald Moors Village

• Queen Street & Kemberton Drive near Haughton and John Randall Primary

• Randlay Avenue near Randlay Primary

• Severn Drive, Dothill Primary School

• The Dale & The Spinney - Church Aston Infant School

• The Lloyds between Ironbridge & Coalport

• The Wharfage, Ironbridge

• Various residential road near Wrekin College & Old Hall School

• Various residential roads near St Lukes RC Primary and Wrockwardine Wood C of E Junior Schools

• Various residential roads north of The Telford Langley School

• Various residential roads, Arleston

• Various residential roads, Ketley Bank

• Various residential roads, Lawley

• Various roads around Station Road, Dawley

• Various roads around Sutton Hill Local Centre

• Waterloo Road, near Newdale Primary

• Winifred's Drive, near Donnington Wood C of E Junior School

• Woodside Road, near Meadows Primary