A Statutory consultation on community-backed 20mph speed limits across Westmorland and Furness including in Penrith and local villages around Eden has been opened today by the council for community response.
All 24 areas initially proposed in the second phase of schemes were approved at Eden, Furness and South Lakeland locality boards last month because communities supported the proposals during the initial consultation held in the summer. They are now going to statutory consultation before the final decision is made to determine implementation in early 2026.
The statutory consultation for the Eden Traffic Regulation Orders opened today (Friday 14 November) and will run for 21 days.
For more information and to take part in the consultation, go to: https://www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/parking-streets-and-transport/streets-roads-and-pavements/road-maintenance-closures-and-improvements/proposed-traffic-regulation-orders-tros
Cllr Peter Thornton, Cabinet Member for Highways and ICT, said: "A lot of work has gone into getting these proposals to this stage, and we are especially grateful to the 5,200 people who responded to the engagement and shaped these schemes so they reflect local need.
"This statutory consultation is a necessary step and is a further opportunity for residents to add their views."
Following an extensive consultation process, more than 5,200 residents took part by responding and shaped the 20mph schemes which were designed based on clear Department for Transport guidance, the schemes will create safer roads for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. They focus on areas in built up towns and villages with a current maximum speed limit of 40mph or less.
The schemes locally progressing as proposed in Clifton, Gamblesby, Glassonby, Great Asby, Greystoke, Sockbridge & Tirril and Stainton having received significant community backing to move ahead as planned.
In Penrith, a total of 9,294 individual notifications resulted in a total of 764 responses, 730 of those from respondents who registered a postcode within Penrith itself.
Forty six per cent were in support, 14 per cent in support with amendments and 40 per cent against. Analysis of the data indicated that, whilst other areas of Penrith were supportive overall of the proposals, the data for Castletown was inconclusive. This led to a recommendation that Skirsgill Lane be added to the scheme and the Castletown proposals omitted and resubmitted and reconsulted on separately as part of next year's proposals.
Statutory consultation and advertisement of the proposed Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO), the legal process required to change speed limits, will soon start. This will give residents a final opportunity to share their views on the detailed final designs before any scheme is rolled out.
Requests for the limits came through a new streamlined route launched by Westmorland and Furness Council in December 2023 which made it easier and quicker for communities to submit applications for 20mph. The new approach accelerated the application process by several months, leading to 49 requests covering 79 proposed schemes across the area.
For full details of all the schemes, go to: https://westmorlandandfurness.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=268&MId=14280
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