A4 speed limit cut aims to improve safety

THE speed limit on the A4 Bath Road from the Waitrose roundabout to Saltford is set to be reduced from 40mph to 30mph in the interest of safety.

A public consultation on the necessary Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) proposed by Bath and North East Somerset Council’s highways department prompted 11 comments in support and two objections.

One of the objections came from Cllr Chris Warren (Saltford ward, Independents for B&NES) who described the proposal as “ridiculous”, a “pointless measure”, and “anti-car nonsense”.

He said: “The A4 is the major arterial route between Bristol and Bath. It is bad enough to get along there at the best of times, and when you can travel at 40mph it really helps in getting around.”

Cllr Warren spoke to Saltford Parish Council, asking it to back his stance, but the parish council voted unanimously in support of the speed reduction.

B&NES councillor Duncan Hounsell (Saltford ward, Lib Dem) strongly supports the scheme.

He said: “The speed reduction should assist in bringing vehicle speeds down as vehicles enter Saltford from the west and make the Norman Road junction and Grange Road junction safer consequently.

“The section of road in the TRO is flanked by businesses, a petrol station, the Flourish shop and café, and residential housing. The current 40mph limit has become outdated and does not reflect the current situation.”

In the December issue of the Voice, a Saltford resident described her difficulty in turning right from Norman Road onto the Bath Road because of the speed of traffic.

Kathleen Bray-Warner described the manoeuvre as “absolutely horrendous” and called for a lowering of the speed limit to prevent a serious accident.

The costs of the TRO are being met by Curo Limited ahead of an adjacent housing development.
The idea of speed limit change is not new.

Cllr Andy Wait (Keynsham East ward, Lib Dem) said: “The idea for a reduction in the speed limit has come from a number of sources, mainly residents of the Hygge development and those living along the A4 in that area.”

Cllr Wait supports the speed limit reduction, which now looks set to be introduced. The necessary TRO is likely to be finalised within weeks.