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Angus 20mph zones: Could they become a blanket limit across every town and village?

Tealing is one of the hotspots for speeding in the 20mph limit. Pic: Google
Tealing is one of the hotspots for speeding in the 20mph limit. Pic: Google

A drive to make every town and village street in Angus a 20mph limit is gathering pace.

It comes as councillors agreed to make temporary speed limits laid down during the pandemic permanent.

The authority received six-figures of Spaces for People cash to reduce local speed limits.

Officials say it has had a positive impact on safety.

But there are signs drivers are showing an increasing tendency to ignore the 20mph limits.

And in some rural Angus hotspots they are regularly hitting as much as 40mph.

20mph sign
20mph zones have become commonplace across Angus.

Why are the 20 limits staying?

Angus communities committee councillors tackled a report on Tuesday to make the host of temporary variations permanent.

From April 2020 the centre of Angus towns and many villages dropped from a 30 to 20 limit.

Spaces for People money was also used to buy more electronic speed warning signs for the district.

Roads bosses say they help put the brakes on speeding drivers.

And it is going to save the council more than £50,000 to keep the 20 limits in place.

They would have had to spend £70,000 to put the old 30 or 40 zones back.

But it will be just £17,000 to make things permanent.

Dubton Road at Hillside still has a higher than average speed.

Are the 20mph limits working?

Angus roads chief Walter Scott says average speed in 30mph zones would usually have been a few miles higher than the limit.

The average reading at more than 50 20mph zones across Angus villages was 24.2mph.

So there is clear evidence traffic is going much slower than previously.

But the average 85th centile figure – the speed at or below which eight out of ten vehicles are travelling – touched just over 30mph.

And there are some who say putting in a 20 limit has been a waste of time and money in their community.

Here are some of the area’s 85th centile speeding hotspots:

Bridgefoot – Strathmartine Road (32.1mph average)
Ferryden – Craig Road (30.1)
Hillside – Dubton Road (38.2)
Marykirk Road (32.3)
Kinnaber Road (32.6)
Inverkeilor – Kirkton Road (30.9)
Letham – Blairs Road (31.2)
Liff – Woodside Road (35.1)
Monikie – Panmure Road (34.2)
Hillhead Road (33.5)
Newtyle – Meigle Road (35)
Dundee Road (34.1)
Bulb Park (33.9)
Redford – Main Road (36.4)
Tealing – Main Road (41)
Westmuir – Main Road (36.5)

Town centre figures

Speeds across the Angus burghs were lower, possibly due to factors including more traffic and extra delays through the towns.

But while average speed recordings were as low as 14mph on Arbroath High Street, some drivers are still well above the 20 limit elsewhere.

Montrose is a troublespot, with Bridge Street, Mount Road and Whinfield Road all registering above 30mph for the 85th centile figure.

What next in the drive towards a blanket 20mph in towns and villages?

Roads official Craig Hudson told councillors every street in Angus is being reviewed according to strict criteria.

It is due to be completed by March next year.

Kirriemuir councillor Ronnie Proctor said he has already been flooded with requests for two of the town’s 20 zones to be extended.

And Montrose councillor Kenny Braes added: “I think the question should be which streets in our towns and villages shouldn’t be 20 rather than which should be.”

Committee convener Mark McDonald said: “It’s proving to be effective and I look forward to seeing the outcome of the review.

“It’s good to see the communities committee seem to be quite aligned to that mindset (of 20mph limits).

 

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