Twenty will be plenty on Lichfield Road as it passes St Michael’s First School after it was named in the schools that will take part in the next phase of a project to get vehicle speeds down to 20mph during peak times.
The 20mph restriction will be in force from the start of the summer term on Tuesday 26th April at the start and end of the school day.
The rolling programme to reduce speeds outside schools has proven to be a success since it was launched in September and it has now benefited 32 schools across Staffordshire.
The Speed Indicator Devices formed phase one of a two-pronged campaign aimed at reducing speeds when children are out and about.
The second phase was launched last month outside eight schools on main roads in Tamworth.
Legally enforceable part-time 20mph zones – some of the first in England to get approval – were activated on the A and B roads. If they have a positive effect, they will be rolled out across the county, as funding allows.
The county council gained special authorisation from Government to allow the restrictions on the main roads. Only 10 other sites in England have permission to operate the safety scheme.
County Councillor Mike Maryon, Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said: “Residents have told me that road safety is a top priority for them and I wholeheartedly support that view. My number one aim is to drastically reduce the speed that some motorists clock up when driving past schools. Lowering speeds from 30mph to 20mph can literally save lives.”
The part-time 20mph zones are in operation during school run times to protect pupils, but ensure that traffic flows are unaffected when children are in class and during school holidays.
