Consultation on implementation of 30mph speed limit on Top Road
Your input is requested before 23 March
Background
In 2020, following a previous consultation, Chapel Allerton Parish Council requested a 30mph speed limit zone in much of the parish. Plans were drawn up in 2022 that covered Stone Allerton and Chapel Allerton, including Rectory Lane and Rawlings Lane and also Notting Hill Way and Sparrow Hill in Weare. This scheme was withdrawn last year as part of the financial emergency at Somerset Council.
Current position
Somerset Council has now presented an alternative scheme, which requires Chapel Allerton and Weare Parish Councils to contribute to the cost.
No formal plans have been provided yet, but Weare PC has agreed in principle to go ahead with their part of the scheme. They have agreed to pay up to a maximum of £2500 to extend their existing 30mph zone to just before the junction with Wheatsheaf Lane and to put a 20mph zone along Sparrow Hill Way.
Somerset Council’s proposal is to extend the scheme into Chapel Allerton parish, going further along Notting Hill Way. We have been asked to decide one way or another on this part of the plan to allow the scheme to go ahead. Our intention is to use the Parish Council meeting on 31 March to make that decision.
If we proceed at the same time as Weare, our cost would be capped at £500. This would be paid from existing funds and not require an extra charge from parishioners. If we want to implement this or another scheme at a later date the Parish would have to cover the full cost, including the legal costs of a traffic regulation order (TRO), estimated at £3300.
The scheme on offer
Somerset Council is offering us the option to extend the 30mph zone along Notting Hill Way into Weare Road as far as Rawlings Lane, but not including any side roads or the village streets. If we go ahead, Somerset Council will fund the TRO, but not the signage.
The scheme would need terminal signs at the start and end of the zone (terminals are the larger signs showing the 30mph limit on one side and the national limit on the other). These would be in Wheatsheaf Lane close to the junction with Notting Hill Way, to the north of the junction of Rawlings Lane and Weare Road and at the top of Rectory Lane.
Repeaters would also be needed (these are either smaller reminder signposts, or ‘roundels’ painted onto the road). Repeaters are recommended every 250m. We would aim to use roundels rather than posts where possible and maximise the distance between repeaters to minimise costs and limit the amount of clutter.
Rejected options
Somerset Council does not recommend extending the speed limit to Chapel Allerton village because the average speed there is currently 22mph. Imposing 30mph limits in that situation often increases speeds as people believe it is officially seen as safe. The repeater signs required would also have an impact on the street scene.
The scheme does not cover Ashton Road because the average speed there is 17mph. Its use as a rat run is probably due to the use of satnavs and would not be affected by a speed limit.
What we are asking you to do
Email your comments to chapelallertonparishclerk@yahoo.com
If you would rather comment in writing, drop your response into Old Oak Farm.
You can either simply tell us whether you are in favour of implementing the scheme or not, or you can provide information you think the Council should take into account in making a decision.
You do not need to give your name but we do need to know that you are a resident of Chapel Allerton parish (your council tax bill will tell you this).
All parishioners are welcome to attend the council meeting on 31 March.
Timetable
Sunday 23 March – consultation closes.
Monday 31 March – meeting of Chapel Allerton Parish Council.
From mid-April – Somerset Council places work orders
The work, including the TROs, would then have to be scheduled.
Q and A
Why is Weare PC stopping their extension before the Wheatsheaf, when most the houses beyond that come under Weare?
Several reasons:
- Although the houses are in Weare, the road itself in in Chapel Allerton.
- There are sign posts already in place at that point that can be reused, reducing the number of new posts needed.
- While the sharp curve north of the Wheatsheaf merits a restriction, the section to the south is straighter so a higher speed limit is possible.
What is a traffic regulation order?
TROs allow local councils to regulate the traffic in their area either temporarily (such as for a parade) or permanently (e.g. to bar certain types of vehicles). They are needed here to allow the roads to be closed for signs and road markings to be put in).
Will the new sign on Rectory Hill detract from the historic listed fingerpost at that junction?
The sign near the junction of Rectory Road and Notting Hill Way would be positioned away from the junction so as to minimise any impact on the fingerpost.
Can Chapel Allerton, Stone Allerton and Ashton residents who are parishioners of Weare contribute to the consultation?
Weare parishioners are welcome to contribute relevant knowledge and experience: this will inform the discussion rather than influence the decision.