Swaffham is set to become Norfolk’s first 20mph town, paving the way for other towns across the region to have the same speed limit introduced.
The town is expected to hold a six-month trial with a blanket 20mph restriction in place, after which it could be made a permanent feature.
Schemes to reduce road traffic speed in town centres have become increasingly popular across the UK and Europe to improve safety and to give pedestrians a more pleasant experience.
The road safety charity Brake says that a crash at 30mph has twice as much energy and destructive potential as a crash at 20mph.
Campaigns to introduce a 20mph speed limit are also under way in King’s Lynn, Brandon, Wisbech, Beccles, Bungay and Lowestoft, raising questions about whether similar trials could take place in those towns.
Mayor of Swaffham Stewart Bell said: “There’s always calls for bypasses and things to stop the traffic.
“I’m totally against bypasses - we already have one.
“One’s enough for anybody and we don’t want to kill the town.
“So the suggestion came about for a trial of a 20mph speed limit and I think it’s a great idea.
“I fully support it, as did the council. We’re putting some money towards the trial, to help keep it going.
“We do have elderly residents and if people can’t just drive sensibly through a town centre, at 20mph, then there isn’t an answer to it.
“So we have to do it [the trial], but it must be monitored - that’s the point.”
The six-month trial period could begin within one or two months, Mr Bell said, depending on all of the necessary funding and support being in place from the local authorities and Norfolk Police.
Along with towns in the region, people in several Norfolk villages have also called for a 20mph speed limit, such as in Frettenham, Aldborough and Roydon.
In Barnham Broom, villager David Bell has collected more than 150 signatures from local people calling for a 20mph cap, causing the parish council to submit a formal request to the county authority.
The village has been prioritised for a speed limit review as part of the Road Safety Community Fund, due to take place in 2023.
David Bell said the trial in Swaffham could set an encouraging precedent for other locations across the county.
“When you get into the hub of Swaffham, which is the marketplace, I think it’s a very sensible speed limit, given the amount of pedestrians around there, especially on market day.
“So I think it’s a worthwhile experiment.”
He added: “Even in Dereham, that should be 20mph, in that central part.
“I think given the circumstances of each individual town, especially where the shops are, it’s worth trialling for six months at least, to see how it fares.”
A Norfolk County Council spokesman said: “We’re happy to support a range of locally proposed safety schemes and provide guidance to communities on what may work best to tackle local issues.
“There is a proposal for a six-month trial 20mph speed limit to be put in place, and for a consultation to run at the same time to gather people’s views on the scheme.
“Depending on the feedback received, a decision could then be made on whether to make the scheme permanent.
“This is subject to successfully securing the funding required and support of required partners including Swaffham Town Council and Norfolk Constabulary.”
What do locals think?
Long-time Swaffham resident Maureen Garrod said she thought the change would make little difference.
“There’s just too many cars… People have got to use their cars, but at the weekends, mainly on Saturdays, it can get very busy.
“I can’t see it’s going to make any difference, going from 30mph to 20mph.”
Retired couple Susan and Rick Wells, who live just outside Swaffham at Castle Acre, said they were in favour of the idea.
“It should be 20mph. There are so many people, children - definitely,” said Mrs Wells.
“What’s wrong with 20mph? It’s only a small bit of road.
“We’re lucky that we’ve still got traffic through the town centre, because a lot of towns are going pedestrian-only,” she said.
Her husband added: “If it was pedestrianised, it would kill it [the town centre].”
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