20mph Speed Limit for Harlton
In April 2023 at the Annual Village Meeting, the Parish Council reported it would explore options for traffic calming measures in the village. This included eligibility for Cambridgeshire County Council, Local projects 20mph speed limit funding scheme 2023/24.
Funding and delivery of a 20mph initiative for Harlton was formally approved by Cambridgeshire Highways and Transportation Committee on the 3rd October. The costs will be met in full by CCC.
Resident Consultation 10 October – 8 November 2023
53 Residents responded to the Consultation ( 36% of householders)
74% of residents who responded were in support of 20mph, 25% against and 1% neutral.
It was agreed at the November Parish Council Meeting to take forward the 20 mph speed limit initiative ( All supported). Cambridge County Council Project delivery team will work on creating and sharing the full design for the scheme by the end of the year for the parish to provide feedback on.
Harlton 20mph Design Plan – Cambridgeshire County Council
We have received the proposed Design Plan which is to be agreed by the parish and a traffic regulation order completed. The Parish Council will discuss the planned design with the view to approve to the next step at its meeting of Tuesday 16th January.
The design provides locations of planned signage, dragons teeth and buffer zones. There is a general overview first and then 3 viewpoints to provide a detailed view of the scheme.
All the repeater signs are to be placed on lamp columns so no new posts are required within the village boundary. As the existing terminal posts at the west and north entrance are quite old and corroded, these will be replaced with new posts (3 total). Dragons teeth will be installed at both the west and east entrances.
Why this many repeaters?
Traffic Signs Manual (TSM) Chapter 3, which is the current standard, states that for a 20mph limit, repeater signs must be used and the maximum distance between repeater signs is 200m hence the inclusion of all the listed repeaters.
TSM CH3 recommends that cul-de-sacs over 80m should include a repeater. This is primarily for drivers that are not familiar with the area that will need reminding of the speed limit e.g., delivery drivers, waste disposal etc.
Can we have a roundel instead of a 20mph repeater sign?
On these 20mph schemes, the standards do not allow for replacement of a speed limit sign with a road marking roundel. A roundel can only be used in addition to a sign or in sections of road in-between repeater signs.
What are the next steps?
Once the final design is approved, Cambridgeshire County Council will submit the scheme programme to their policy and regulation team who progress with the Speed Limit Order (SLO). It is a statutory requirement for the Council to publish a notice of intention to inform interested parties. This process invites the public to write in positive comments about the proposed schemes or formally object to or submit other representations on the proposals in writing within a minimum 21-day notice period. There is also a requirement to consult with certain organisations, such as Police, Fire and Road Haulage Association. A notice is published in a newspaper circulating in the local area and notices/additional information are uploaded to the Council’s website.
If the design is agreed in January, the scheme could to be delivered in summer or early autumn 2024 dependent on changes.
20mph limit installation was complete 11 November 2024
Mobile Vehicle Activated Signs for Harlton
The Parish Council has investigated costs and permissions for mobile vehicle activated signs (MVAS) for Harlton. The County Council no longer permit permanent highways vehicle activated signs. It is policy that the signs are temporary and moved regularly to new locations. Costs of the MVAS units are around £4,000 plus installation costs of posts where required.
The County Council provides an annual opportunity for funding through the Local Highway Improvement Initiative (LHI). This is a popular route with parish councils and community groups to meet 90% of costs for the installation of MVAS scheme, which can take up to 12 months to process to complete.
Given the costs of the MVAS units and installation, the Parish Council has submitted a 2024/25 Local Highways Initiative (LHI) funding application bid. There is no guarantee the application for funding will be successful.