Exeter school head backs new proposal for 20mph restriction

ANOTHER large part of Exeter looks set for a 20mph speed limit.

The restriction will be imposed throughout the Alphington area if councillors tomorrow approve a £36,000 scheme by Exeter's joint highways committee.

It would bring the district into line with the Exwick, Redhills, St James and city centre areas, which have already adopted the 20mph limit.

Pennsylvania and Topsham are the next two residential areas to be considered for a cut to the 30mph restriction.

Debbie Buckingham, headteacher at Alphington Primary School, supported the proposal.

She said: "We have a lot of pupils and encourage them to walk and cycle but are constantly worried because increasingly people are using Alphington as a short cut and often drive very fast through here as does some of the general traffic in and around the school."

The 20mph plan has also been welcomed by Alphington residents, including Suzanne O'Connell, whose 12-year-old son Jake was knocked off his bike last week while he was crossing Church Road at the zebra crossing.

Mrs O'Connell said: "Jake is fine, with just cuts and bruises but he was shaken up by it.

"There are always problems on that crossing. We have asked the council to put a toucan or a pelican crossing in but it says there is no money in the budget. Cars will stop but then the car behind will bump into them or motorcycles will overtake cars that are stationary.

"At least if they are going slower to begin with it should be better."

Alphington currently has a 30mph limit, with two vehicle- activated speed signs in Church Road. They will be changed from 30 to 20 and two additional signs will be put in Chudleigh Road and Shillingford Road.

Devon County Council says that the speed reduction will have safety benefits for vulnerable road users and will help to encourage walking and cycling for local journeys.

Traffic calming measures were also considered as an addition to the drop in the speed limit but the council says they would be more expensive.

However, highways chiefs have said that they could be considered again for specific areas if traffic speeds continue to be a problem.

A Devon County Council spokesman said: "The reduced speed limit is being proposed in order to improve safety for all road users, in particular pedestrians and cyclists."