A RECOMMENDATION to approve new 20mph speed limits across Abingdon has been made to councillors.

A report by Oxfordshire County Council manager Bill Cotton, of Corporate Director Environment and Place, has recommended the cabinet member for highway management approves the new speed limits at a meeting due to take place on Thursday (November 17).

The suggested changes include the roads bounded by the ring road, which are currently 30mph, as well as those south of the River Ock.

READ MORE: Restaurant owner to give out free Christmas meals to homeless and lonely people

Additionally, there are some 40mph roads that could be reduced to 30mph such as Audlett Drive, Twelve Acre Drive, Dunmore Road, Copenhagen Drive, and Colwell Drive.

The highways authority has noted that sections of existing 30mph speed limits on the A415 Marcham Road, Colwell Drive, Nuffield Way, A4183 Oxford Road, Radley Road and the B4017 Wootton Road will be retained.

This is along with the existing 40mph speed limit on the B4017 Drayton Road.

A formal consultation was carried out between August 31 and September 30 this year to get residents feedback on the proposals.

There were 278 responses in total and 127 people (46 per cent) supported the 20mph proposals while 109 people (39 per cent) objected. A total of 40 people (14 per cent) were concerned and two (one per cent) had no opinion.

For the 30mph ring road proposals, 128 people (46 per cent) objected it and 110 people (39.5 per cent) supported it. There were 27 people (10 per cent) who expressed concerned and 13 people (4.5 per cent) who had no opinion.

READ MORE: One of only five laser mazes in the UK opens in Oxfordshire

In the report, Mr Cotton said: “The majority of these were mainly from members of the public but did include those from: four businesses, three local representatives, and five groups /organisations.

“While one business objected to both 20mph and 30mph proposals, the other ones supported both. The three local representatives supported all proposals.

“Of the organisations, three supported the 20mph proposals but two expressed concerns; for the 30 mph proposals, two stated support while two expressed concerns and one objected.”

Oxford Bus Company (OBC) was on the businesses to respond suggesting the plans be refused. It claimed the proposals will ‘probably lead to a material reduction in bus services’.

In response to the concerns, Mr Cotton said: “Officers acknowledge the concerns raised in the objections but note a close majority support for the 20mph limits remains from the public, although they do express slightly more objections than support for the 30mph proposals.

“The town council strongly support all proposals and the police do not object.”

READ MORE: Woman 'could have died' after McDonald's fail to remove one ingredient

A final decision will be made at the meeting on Thursday at 10am.

-

Read more from this author

This story was written by Gee Harland. She joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

A message from our Editor

Thank you for reading this story and supporting the Oxford Mail.

If you like what we do please consider getting a subscription for the Oxford Mail and in return we’ll give you unrestricted access with less adverts across our website from the latest news, investigations, features, and sport.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok for more. 

You can also join the conversation in our Facebook groups: stay ahead of traffic alerts here, keep up to date with the latest from court here, share your favourite memories of Oxford here, get your daily dose of celebrity news here and take some time out with news that will make you smile. 

If you’ve got a story for our reporters, send us your news here. You can also list an event for free here.