Petition to drop speed limit to 30mph on Rowlands Gill A694
More than 500 people have backed the idea
A petition calling for a reduced speed limit on a Gateshead road has amassed over 500 signatures.
Gateshead Council has been petitioned to drop the speed limit on the Rowlands Gill stretch of the A694 from 40mph to 30mph in the interest of safety.
The petition, set up by Sarah Connelly, reads: “I have been trying for the last few years to ask that the stretch of the A694 in Rowlands Gill is reduced from 40mph down to 30mph in line with the rest of the village
The petition statement continued: “I can’t see any negative impact this would have given the road is already 30mph before and after this stretch. There have been multiple crashes on this road but because most of them have been minor they aren’t reported.”
The petition also highlights the proximity of a primary school to the road and the abundance of families nearby as serious concerns.
A Gateshead Council spokesperson said: “We take road safety extremely seriously and are in the process of considering the data and evidence and undertaking surveys in the context of national guidance to provide a thorough response to the petitioner.”
According to a map collated by road safety organisation THINK!, between 2012 and 2022, there were 20 “slight” road incidents, involving 34 cars on the Rowlands Gill stretch of the A694. Two “serious” incidents were also recorded, involving four vehicles.
ChronicleLive also reported on a collision on the A694 Lockhaugh Road which resulted in the death of a cyclist weeks after the initial crash in May last year. The petition is set to close on Gateshead Council’s website on July 29.