COUNCIL chiefs have unveiled plans to slash speed limits across a Southampton community.

Roads bosses want to cut the speed limit to 20mph in an area of Millbrook, Redbridge and Maybush.

If the six-month trial is successful it will be rolled out across other areas of the city.

Southampton City Council yesterday voted to go ahead with the scheme, to be implemented in December.

City transport boss Cllr Asa Thorpe told the council that over the past year one person had died and 117 were injured across Southampton as a result of accidents on the city’s roads.

At yesterday’s meeting Robert Craine, a pupil at Newlands Primary School, urged the council to implement the new scheme.

His school is in Winder-mere Avenue, Millbrook, which will have its speed limit lowered to 20mph as part of the pilot scheme.

He said that reducing the limit “will make it safer for me and other children” as well as other pedestrians.

Daily Echo:

Millbrook councillor David Furnell, who has been campaigning for a speed limit reduction for several years, said: “I believe that we should be changing top gear culture in Southampton.

“Our streets should be safe for pedestrians and cyclists who should not have to take their lives in their hands each time they walk out of the door.”

Consultation on the pilot scheme will now begin, and will last until December, when the pilot scheme will be implemented.

New signs and road markings will be installed, but no other measures such as speed humps will be implemented.

South coast neighbours Portsmouth introduced 20mph limits across the city five years ago. The scheme remains controversial with some motorists, although city council chiefs say that the number of road accident casualties has been cut.

Hampshire-based motoring organisation the AA is in favour of 20mph zones but not cutting speed limits to 20mph across whole cities or towns.