A CAMPAIGN has been launched to slash speed limits to 20 miles an hour across Southampton.

Conservative Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith has started a petition to roll out the speed limit on residential areas where there is support from the community.

Mr Smith proposed a similar scheme in 2014, but it was rejected by the council.

They say that the scheme would cost up to £1 million to put in place and they do not have the funds.

Now, Mr Smith will be handing a petition to the House of Commons in an attempt to introduce the speed limit in Southampton.

He said: “Two years ago I suggested that in roads where local people want it, 20 mph limits should be introduced to help to reduce speeding traffic.

“I campaigned on this proposal and thousands of local people signed up in support.

“With the clear backing of so many residents I wrote to the council asking if they would look into implementing 20mph limits in the roads where residents where clearly in favour of them but was told no.

“20mph limits work in Portsmouth and have recently been introduced in Bristol, Winchester and Edinburgh yet Southampton City Council refuse to accept that they will make a difference. If they work in other cities why would they not work here?

“We simply shouldn’t have to wait for a bad accident to happen before we do something.

“If anyone would like to sign the petition they can contact my office using the details available on my website and we will send them a copy.”

Two years ago, Mr Smith had attempted to introduce the scheme after Labour council bosses capped the speed limit in Maybush as part of a pilot trial.

But the idea was rejected as the council said little impact on speed reductions had been observed as part of the Maybush scheme, which was introduced at a cost of £30,000.

Winchester has already seen 20mph limits which caused minor slowdowns in the city centre and Highcliffe, but made little difference in Winnall.

Labour Councillor Jacqui Rayment, pictured, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “The last time it was raised we agreed we would write to the minister, but it would cost in the range of £1million to implement and we have not got that sort of money for 20mph schemes.

“They are not universally popular, sometimes residents on one half of the road likes them and the other half don’t.

“Mr Smith has got a right to do this and if the government want to give us funding and if after a consultation with residents they were for it then of course we would implement it.

“But at the moment it is very costly to introduce and it is not universally supported, and the government has cut our grant quite significantly."

“And the 20 mile per hour limit only works if it is done with enforcement and due to cuts Hampshire police would not be able enforce it in the way it was needed.

“It is a lot of money for very little payback and sometimes there are better traffic calming measures.”