Village 30: lower speed limits in Hampshire villages
Starting in Autumn 2008 the County Council is introducing a maximum speed limit of 30mph in a large number of Hampshire's villages.
By the end of 2008 the new speed limit will be introduced in 39 villages - full list below. In 2009 a further 60 villages will also see the introduction of the 30 mph limit.
This is not a completely new initiative; for some time the County Council has been working to reduce speed limits in villages to 30mph where the community requests this, and where the location fits the required criteria.
September - December 2008: the 39 villages where the new 30mph speed limit will apply
|
Ampfield |
Enham Alamein |
Old Alresford |
|
Ashurst |
Fritham |
Soberton and Newtown |
|
Avon, Sopley and Ripley |
Godshill |
South Warnborough |
|
Boarhunt |
Hale |
Stroud |
|
Braishfield |
Headbourne Worthy |
Upper Wield |
|
Bramshaw and Furzley |
Highclere |
Upton Grey |
|
Breamore |
Itchen Abbas |
Wellow |
|
Brook |
Kingsley |
Weston Patrick |
|
Colden Common |
Kingsley |
Whitehill and Bordon |
|
Copythorne |
Littleton |
Woodgreen |
|
Corhampton |
Lower Weald |
- |
|
East Worldham |
Mottisfont |
- |
|
Enham Alamein |
Newfound |
- |
Why is the County Council introducing the new 30mph speed limit in these villages?
Many people are concerned about traffic speed in rural areas, particularly in villages where residents want to reduce traffic dominance and so enhance quality of life.
Revised Government guidance on setting speed limits states that "villages should have comparable speed limits to similar roads in urban areas" meaning that a 30mph limit should be the norm in villages. ("Setting Local Speed Limits", Department for Transport Circular 01/2006).
It is therefore now a County Council Cabinet priority that rural villages which meet the required criteria should have a 30mph speed limit where the people living there want this to happen.
Criteria for inclusion in the Village 30 initiative
For the purposes of the initiative, the definition of a village was set as one having 20 or more houses within a distance of 600 metres.
Community evidence was required in order to establish the level of demand for the introduction of a 30mph limit. Many village residents outlined reasons including the strength of feeling for reduced limits, particular dangers due to the nature of the road, and the fears and concerns of the community generally.