New lower speed zones should be decided by councils-Farron

Proposals to bring down speed limits in areas where there is a higher risk of accidents have been welcomed by South Lakeland MP Tim Farron.

The Government is expected to announce today their intention to reduce the speed limit from 30mph to 20mph in residential areas and from 60mph to 50mph on rural roads.

Mr Farron has welcomed the Government's efforts to improve road safety but has called for local communities to be given the power to decide where the new speed restrictions will apply.

Commenting Mr Farron said:

"Lower speed limits are proven to save lives, but deciding where these zones should be put in place must be left up to local councils.

"In South Lakeland we have already managed to achieve this with great success by lowering the speed limit to 50mph on the A6 through Beetham and also Heversham.

"It's important that the Government doesn't try and implement this proposal from the top-down and understands that local communities are in the best position to decide which areas would most benefit from reduced speed limits."