Cornwall roads chief gets 'constant' calls for 20mph limits

Cornish villages and parishes are "constantly" asking for 20mph zones, the the person in charge of Cornwall's road policy has said.

Richard Williams-Pears, transport portfolio holder at Cornwall Council, said the schemes had been popular with many people.

In Cornwall 20mph zones are in place in Camborne, Redruth, Illogan, Truro and on the Roseland.

"A lot of people really like it," he said.

He told BBC Radio Cornwall: "We don't put a 20mph limit in anywhere people have consistently said they don't want it.

"But there are an awful lot of villages and towns and areas across Cornwall where they feel that the speed limits are just too high and I'm very happy to support people.

"I literally am constantly getting emails and letters and invitations from parish councils all across Cornwall, asking me to do their area next.

"And the feedback from the areas that we've already done has been very, very positive across the board."

The idea of reducing speed limits from 30mph to 20mph on residential roads and in built-up areas in Cornwall was trialled in Camelford, Falmouth and Penryn in 2022.

In Wales, some roads are reverting to 30mph following a backlash to the Welsh government's 20mph policy.

BBC News has been to three Cornish communities at different stages of the roll-out to see what local people think.

'It does feel safer'

The village of Tregony is known as the 'Gateway to the Roseland Peninsula' - the 20mph signs went up here late last year.

Rebecca Michell works in a cafe on Fore Street, she said: "It does feel safer."

"It is a busy village, people passing through, but I think people are adhering to the new speed limit."

Another Tregony resident Ellis Crompton-Brown agrees, saying: "It has reduced the speed on average."

"There are still vehicles going well over the speed limit and it is sometimes a bit difficult to stick to 20mph but, generally speaking, it is really helped the village."

'It is quite worrying'

The 20mph signs have only just gone up in Grampound Road. It is a busy community with a school, shop, cricket club and businesses all along the main road through the village.

Mum Sophie Rowan said she had not seen much of a change in drivers' behaviour.

"All the vehicles, cars, tractors, lorries, they all go well over 20mph, especially at the top of the hill going out the village towards the A30," she said.

"When they come into the village, they are always speeding down really fast."

'You can't stop people'

Some areas of Newquay judged to have high numbers of pedestrians and cyclists will be considered for potential 20mph speed limits in the future.

Becka Hancock was walking her dog beside the boating lake in Trenance Gardens - she was happy with the idea of a lower limit.

"If it's safer for kids and dogs and walkers, why not? she said.

Newquay resident Sophia Cobley is broadly supportive of slowing the traffic, because it is a popular area for families.

"Maybe round here 20mph would be a good option, kids are always running up to roads," she said.

"But you can't stop people going over the speed limit, can you? I've seen people going way over 20mph in 20mph zones."

The job of enforcing the 20mph limits in the new zones will fall to Devon and Cornwall Police.

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