20mph speed limit to be introduced in Bainton near Stamford

A community that has campaigned to reduce speeding for years will have 20mph limits as a deterrent.

From Monday, June 23 the legal speed limit in Bainton, near Stamford, will drop from 30mph to 20mph.

Peterborough City Council, which is responsible for roads and road signs in north-west Cambridgeshire, is making the change.

Volunteers in Bainton set up a Community Speedwatch group to gather evidence about the nature of driving through their village and amassed a huge amount of data using cameras.

Resident Rob McNeish, who has been involved in a 15-year campaign to reduce driver speeds through his home village, said he was they were finally receiving recognition of the problem they have long highlighted.

“We have used AutoSpeedWatch cameras for the past two years to take pictures of all the vehicles exceeding the 30mph speed limit by a certain level or more,” he said.

“We found between 50% and 60% of vehicles were doing this in Bainton, and one car was caught speeding through the village 60 times.”

Although police will not use the camera data to prosecute, it has helped convince the authorities of the need for a speed limit change.

Rob added: “The 20mph limit is a last resort, which we hope will just slow down traffic generally.

“God forbid if a child was killed in the road - nobody wants to be saying they did nothing to prevent it - and while speeding also affects our neighbours in Helpston and Barnack, the reduction in Bainton will help create a slower highways route through these villages.”

Where do you think needs a 20mph limit? Share your views in the comments.