The Government’s new road safety strategy was not sufficiently considered and could result in one million new speed limit signs on rural roads, according to the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
The charity has called on the Government to reduce the national speed limit for rural single-carriageway roads to 50 mph, but allow local authorities to keep their safest roads at 60 mph.
Following research on best practice in other European countries, CPRE also wants to see powers brought in to introduce 40 mph zones on minor rural roads, and a reduction of red tape for the introduction of more 20 mph zones on residential streets.
Ralph Smyth, CPRE’s senior transport campaigner, said the Government’s decision not to opt for a blanket 50 mph national speed limit, and to encourage councils to consider introducing lower limits locally would require signs every 300 yards. ‘It has not thought through the implications, [and] its piecemeal plans could require one million repeater speed limit signs which would deface the countryside and distract drivers, while costing £300M.’
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