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15
Aug
New 20mph speed signs unveiled in Harrogate
Hundreds of signs restricting roads to 20mph have been unveiled across Harrogate.
The move has seen the signs implemented in the south and west areas of the town as part of measures to lower speed limits and improve road safety.
The initiative by North Yorkshire Council follows a petition presented to it in June 2023 and a public consultation held in December last year.
The first phase of the project will see speeds reduced to 20mph on 190 roads in the town.
It affects roads such as Arthurs Avenue, Coronation Road, Back Tewit Well Road and Beech Avenue. You can find a full list of the roads affected here.
In recent weeks, speed signs enforcing the move have been erected.
The signs on Coronation Road before they were unveiled.
Announcing the measure in May, Cllr Keane Duncan, former executive member for highways at the council, said:
This is by far the largest 20mph scheme ever introduced by the council.
It’s part of our dedicated and continuing effort to improve road safety, here in Harrogate and across North Yorkshire.
While this project is significant in scale, and a landmark achievement for everyone involved, we have ensured that 20mph is appropriate for the nature of these roads.
Victory for campaigners
The move was championed by the Oatlands and Pannal Ash Road Safety and Active Travel Group, which campaigned for the introduction of 20mph limits.
The new scheme comes after North Yorkshire Council announced in February that speed limits outside every school in the county are being reviewed as the local authority takes "unprecedented" action to improve road safety.
The council is assessing more than 400 education sites across the county, including schools, nurseries, and colleges, starting with those where speed limits are the highest.
The authority has adopted a presumption in favour of lowering speed limits in these locations.
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