Oxfordshire County Council has approved seven more 20mph applications, including Abingdon. In total 72 schemes have been approved, and 53 installations have been completed, including Witney.
The detailed decision for Abingdon says ‘The Cabinet Member for Highway Management APPROVED the proposed introduction of 20mph and 30mph speed limits in Abingdon as advertised but with subsequent minor relaxations as outlined in paragraph 19, and providing that the text headed “Drayton Road” in the table at paragraph 19 be removed and replaced with “The 20mph limit is proposed to start immediately south of Mill Road”.
Paragraph 19 had been introduced as a compromise. Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council wanted a blanket 20 mph limit on all but the peripheral road. The bus companies, worried about journey times, objected. So the 20 mph zone will start on major roads as follows:
* Oxford Road: south of Norman Avenue
* Drayton Road: south of Mill Road
* Radley Road: east of Daisy Bank
* Wootton Road: north of Northcourt Road junction
* Bridge Street (pictured above): at the existing 30 mph limit.
The scheme is free to town and parish councils, with the county council funding the sign changes. Town and parish councils are expected to fund any traffic calming measures or speed-activated signs that may be required to support the new limits in their areas. I believe the town council has money for speed signs in the budget.
