Speed limits on Devon road could be halved

As part of the Challabrook development adjacent to Monks Way in Bovey Tracey, it was proposed that a new speed limit of 40mph be introduced to reduce traffic speeds, down from the existing 60mph limit.

The first phase of the Challabrook development which included 156 homes, 12 self-build housing plots and business units for land west of Monks Way, has received planning permission, and work has begun, while developers Rule Five Land Ltd have submitted to Teignbridge District Council their application for the second phase of the development which would see a further 128 homes built.

The proposals would cover the stretch of road between the Station Road and Pottery Road roundabouts, but councillors on the Teignbridge Highways and Traffic Orders Committee on Thursday morning felt that the speed limit needed to be reduced further and down to 30mph.

As a result of being a departure from Devon County Council policy, the recommendation, which was agreed by six votes to five, will now go to the council’s cabinet for a final decision.

Making the initial proposal, Tony Matthews, Neighbourhood Highway Group Manager, said that speed of traffic has been considered along the road and it has been determined that a 40mph limit be appropriate for the whole length of the road.

He said that while the town council wanted it to be 30mph, the road is rural in character, there are no properties facing onto it, and it is reasonably straight, so a 30mph limit would not be appropriate and if introduced, drivers would not adhere to it.

But Cllr George Gribble, who represents Bovey Tracey, said while he sympathised with that, he was supporting the town council’s views, and that enforcement of a 40mph zone is equally problematic.

Cllr Alistair Dewhirst added: “The road was built at a time when it was thought there would be very few cars on and they can whizz at maximum speed, so it was a long straight road, and cars hammer along there. I support Cllr Gribble and think the limit should be 30mph, as even though it is a cut through, it is part of the Bovey Tracey town, and towns should be 30mph maximum.”

But Cllr Sylvia Russell said that if the speed limit was 30mph, people will just ignore it because it is a straight road, and they will put their feet on the pedal, while Cllr Stuart Barker added: “If you slow the road down too much, and I think 40mph is enough, then there are other considerations.

“This road takes a lot of traffic that would otherwise go into Bovey Tracey via Newton Road and Station Road, so we could be loading up other roads if you make the road too slow as an alternative.”

Despite officers recommending that as the road layout to the south of the development is wide and with no property frontages, which encourages higher travelling speeds, the 30mph speed limit, as requested by the town council would not be appropriate, the committee voted by six votes to five that a 30mph speed limit should be imposed, subject to the agreement of Cabinet.

And the HATOC also agreed to go against the recommendation of officers and to consider the extension of 30mph speed limit on Shaldon Road, Newton Abbot, from current extent, just west of the Milber Service Station Industrial Units, to just past the junction with Haytor Drive.

Mr Matthews said that officers felt the road was unsuitable for 30mph and that introducing speed limits where there is little or no development visible to the driver will usually lead to the speed limit being disregarded, which in turn could place an unrealistic demand for enforcement on the Police.

He added: “Introduction of inappropriately low speed limits can also introduce a false expectation of low vehicle speeds to pedestrians and other vulnerable road users, who may then take less care when crossing the road,” adding that in none of any recent accidents was speed given as a factor, and all appear to have occurred in low speed circumstances.

But Cllr Gordon Hook, who represents the Newton Abbot South ward in which the road lies, said that he fundamentally disagreed with a lot of the report said, saying that it was ‘some distance’ from being a rural road and that it was full of accesses that the report failed to mention.

Cllr Dewhirst added: “This is clearly in an urban area and not in open countryside. It feels like a 30mph road, and the 40mph road is inappropriate for the urban road that it is. The community screaming about the road and saying the speeds are inappropriate but officers are just not listening to what they have to say.”

Cllr Jackie Hook added: “If you asked someone to estimate the speed limit, they would say it was 30mph as there is residential development on both sides. Majority people agree this is an acceptable speed limit for the road and it is an anomaly that this has been left at 40mph.”

But Cllr Barker said that he was concerned at the report given that Cllr Gordon Hook had mentioned a number of issues that officers had failed to take account of, nor was there any information about speed in the report.

The HATOC voted by seven votes to four to defer any decision on changing the speed limit to allow officers to gather the evidence, but committee chairman, Cllr Jerry Brook, warned them: “We will expect it to be done for the next HATOC.”