Speed limits are set to be lowered to 20mph on residential streets across Harrogate.
North Yorkshire Council is aiming to reduce the limit from 30mph on dozens of streets in the south and west of the town.
The proposal would see the speed lowered on roads surrounding ten schools and colleges.
The changes were prompted by a petition containing more than 900 signatures, which was handed to the authority in 2023.
A consultation process has been carried out, with the results due to be considered by council chiefs later this month.
Speed and collision data has been analysed as part of the project, with site visits, observations and local engagement also taking place, officials say.
The council’s corporate director of environment, Karl Battersby, and Councillor Keane Duncan, executive member for highways and transportation, will consider agreeing to the traffic regulations orders needed for the speed limits to be reduced at a meeting next Thursday.
Heather Yendall, the council’s improvement manager, said in a report prepared ahead of the meeting:
“The proposed 20mph speed limit aligns with several of the council’s priorities linked with highway safety, place and environment and health and well-being.
“By introducing a reduced speed limit from 30mph to 20mph in these areas, it is hoped that a safer and healthier environment will encourage enhanced active travel opportunities for all ages of the community, this may be walking, wheeling, accessibility to the bus or cycling.
“The benefits of promoting safer and healthier streets by the implementation of 20mph speed limits in this area, which has a high proportion of schools, outweigh the negatives and achieve the objectives of road safety and healthier travel in the current local transport plan.”
Six objections were submitted by local residents opposed to the reduced limits.
Their concerns included the change slowing journey times and increasing congestion, and claims that lowering speed limits could make drivers complacent, potentially increasing the risk of accidents.
One resident said:
“Reducing speed limits across a wide area could lead to unnecessary congestion, particularly on roads that are not heavily used by pedestrians or cyclists.
“This might increase travel times and cause frustration for drivers, potentially encouraging drivers to seek alternative routes that may be less safe.”
Another resident added:
“This money would of course be better spent on repairing potholes and very poor road surfaces in Harrogate, which represents a more significant danger to all road users and pedestrians.”
Council officers, however, argued that the reduced speed limits would improve safety and would not increase journey times significantly.
The 30mph limit is set to be retained on several main routes, including Leeds Road, Wetherby Road, Otley Road, Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, York Place and Leadhall Lane.
The implementation of the reduced speed limits is expected to cost around £200,000.
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