A councillor has persuaded officials to have another look at reducing the speed limit on a busy road through a village.
A petition with 438 signatures has called for the limit on the A52 through Donington to be lowered to 40mph.
That’s after planners initially advised it be dropped to 50mph after Lincolnshire Police told the county council it wouldn’t be able to enforce a lower limit.
It would include a new pedestrian ‘refuge’ in the centre.
After a consultation, it came back before Lincolnshire County Council’s Planning Committee last week.
The ward member for Donington, Coun Jane King, put in the initial application for lowering the speed limit to 40mph and spoke to the committee about why it should be again.
“Three years ago they dropped the speed limit to 40 while work was carried out nearby and there wasn’t an issue,” she said. “A new Co-Op and fish and chip shop has been built right on the junction there, and we are having a lot of incidents of people coming along the A52 then shooting off down Church Street.”
She told the meeting a number of accidents in the area were small ones that aren’t reported to the police.
“It doesn’t build up a picture of what’s happening there,” Coun King continued. “We have lots of residents living along Bicker Road and Northorpe crossing the road to get to the bulk of the village and both schools.
“Sometimes it’s fine but if you’re not very nimble or you’ve got buggies or toddlers it’s not very safe.
“I feel very strongly we should drop it to 40mph.”
While some councillors argued the committee should go with officers recommendations in line with the police request and look at lowering it in future, the committee voted to look at the options again now.
Coun Gary Taylor said: “It’s an extremely busy area. It’s about safety for those going to school and those with mobility issues going to the shops.”
Chairman Coun Thomas Sneath said: “It’s a really difficult situation as the 44mph average speed there means we’d normally sit here consulting making it a 40mph limit. It was 40mph for a very long time and people slowed down.
“I find the police comment upsetting. To say people will ignore the 50mph anyway is very concerning because people would drive along it at around 60mph anyway.
“Let us allow the executive to look at imposing 40mph or make a decision depending on what happens.
“I’m aware reducing it again would be another cost to the council. It’s all down to safety which must be paramount.”
