Safety schemes planned to tackle speeding on Leicestershire roads

The projects will be paid for from a £1.4 million fund made available to county councillors

Road with speed limit restrictions

Schemes to help reduce the blight of speeding across Leicestershire are being carried out by the county council.

They include installing more vehicle activated signs which, when triggered by vehicles travelling at excessive speed, display a ‘slow down’ message or show the required speed.

Some county spots will also see village ‘gateway’ signs which are designed so that road users are encouraged to slow down before entry.

These speed reduction initiatives were among the most popular schemes put forward by county councillors after a £1.4 million fund was set up to provide small-scale highways and environmental improvements.

Each of the 55 councillors received £25,000 from a Members Highway Fund as part of an additional £5 million investment in the county’s highways.

Providing additional street furniture, such as bollards and benches, has also been high up on the councillors’ priority list.

Other requests received include improved parking schemes, bus shelters, structural testing of lighting columns for parishes, work on public rights of ways and tree planting.

Councillor Ozzy O’Shea, cabinet lead member for highways and transport, said: “We’ve been delighted with the take-up as it offered an opportunity to establish what really mattered to people in their local community.

“I’m not surprised that speeding features so high on the priority list – it’s something which blights communities and we’re committed to doing all we can to  influence and ultimately change road users’ behaviour.”

The report also outlines that, as part of raft of measures to improve the new scheme, councillors, in future, will be offered a number of options from which to choose their spend for the 2022-23 financial year.

Scrutiny members will discuss the report at their next meeting at 2pm on 20th January, the meeting will be shown live on the county council's YouTube channel.

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