Bath & North East Somerset Council is consulting on a proposal to reduce the speed limit on a stretch of Gloucester Road from 40mph to 30mph.
Before the building of the A46 dual carriageway, which links the A4 with the A420 and M4, Gloucester Road was the main route for through traffic.
The council says the speed limit between Lower Swainswick and the link to the A46 has not been reviewed for some time.
The plan is to reduce a section of the current 40mph speed limit on Gloucester Road in Swainswick to 30mph through the ‘hamlet’ on the approach to Upper Swainswick.
The council consultation report says: “The road beyond Lower Swainswick is predominantly rural in nature along its length, with individual residential properties which are relatively isolated and/or set back from the road, so the existing 40mph speed limit is considered to be appropriate for much of the road.
“However, these residential properties become more frequent on the approach to Upper Swainswick, combined with an increase in the number of side road junctions, so it is considered appropriate that the speed limit is reduced to 30mph over this length.
“There is existing signing along the road which was not changed when the A46 was constructed, and the opportunity will be taken to review these measures, in particular the size of some of these signs.”
Local councillor Sarah Warren (Lib Dem, Bathavon North) says she is in favour of reducing the speed limit to 30mph on this section of Gloucester Road.
“However, I regret very much that it has not been possible to create a scheme that also permits a reduction in speed limit on the lower, 40mph section where children regularly walk and cycle to school and will continue to seek such a change.”
The traffic management team spent some time considering what is the best approach with the speed limits and have proposed leaving the short section of 40mph in place because they believe a 30mph here would have a “very low level of compliance”.
Where the proposed changes will be made | Image © B&NES Council
The report explains: “The additional problem with a continuous 30mph limit in this location is that where the 30mph current ends, the street lighting ends too.
“During hours of darkness, driving from a lit 30mph limit into a 30mph limit in darkness is likely to cause even worse compliance at these times.
“We have examples of this arrangement elsewhere, but they tend to be on narrower roads in village locations where the road characteristics assist drivers to understand the reason for the lower limit.
“It is appreciated that schoolchildren use the path here, but the section of road where we’re proposing to keep the 40mph does not have the look and feel of a road where drivers will understand why a 30mph limit is in place.
“The road is wide here with no properties fronting it. There is also some concern that a 30mph limit in this section could lead to an increase in overtaking manoeuvres.”
Fellow Lib Dem ward councillor Kevin Guy has agreed with Cllr Warren’s concerns but says he has no objection in principle to the proposal.
There were no comments from Swainswick Parish Council nor from B&NES cabinet member for transport Councillor Manda Rigby.
The proposals are now being publicly advertised. The deadline for comments is 13th February.
You can find out more here.
