Communities are being invited to apply for 20mph speed limits in Westmorland and Furness residential areas, towns and villages.
The council have today launched a new application process in a bid to make the process easier and quicker.
Councillor Peter Thornton, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Assets, said: “We get lots of requests from residents, parish councils and schools asking whether we can help improve safety on their local roads, and often speed is the single biggest problem.
“Introducing 20mph limits in the correct places can not only make our roads safer but it can also help reduce vehicle pollution and noise and improve the area for walking and cycling.
“We have made this one of our key projects in the first year of the new council and have allocated £300,000 towards implementing new schemes.
“This new policy also demonstrates how we are already delivering our Council Plan ambitions to become carbon net zero, including supporting and promoting environmentally friendly forms of travel and making it easier and safer to walk and cycle in our area.”
Town and Parish Councils will work collaboratively with residents to submit applications for schemes that must meet a minimum criteria
Areas must have an existing speed limit of no more than 40mph, be in a built up area that promotes active travel and have local stakeholder support.
Applications will be prioritised by the Westmorland and Furness Traffic Management Team based on considerations including evidence of accidents or incidents, whether the road(s) are on a school walking route and the number of pedestrians walking along or crossing the road(s).
Final decisions on a first phase on where to implement new 20mph limits will be taken by Locality Boards in April 2024, made up of local representatives from those communities, and proposals will be required to have community support.
The council is accepting applications for phase one of the 20mph policy until Friday 16 February 2024.
The 20mph policy is one of 14 key projects identified as part of a £5 million priority investment programme by Westmorland and Furness Council in the coming year.
