Petition launched to lower Halesworth road’s speed limit to 20mph

A petition has been launched to reduce the speed limit on a Halesworth road to 20mph.

Ann Constanti lives on Chediston Street, which is currently 30mph, and started the petition because she felt something urgently needs to be done about the area.

“It’s very narrow, it doesn’t have pavements in some places - it’s quite vulnerable,” she said.

“A lot of cars have been damaged by vehicles going through, a couple of people have had their upstairs windows damaged by tall vehicles and people have had doorsteps damaged too.

“I live right on the corner of Chediston Street and my kitchen faces onto the road, so I’m very aware of the speed of the traffic.

“The speed of the cars as they accelerate along the road is very alarming.”

Cars parked on narrow pavements mean pedestrians have to walk in the road, and there are some areas where there is no pavement at all, she said.

Ms Constanti also pointed to the fact that some of the houses have no front gardens, meaning they open straight onto the path, again causing pedestrians, people using mobility scooters and other vulnerable residents to walk in the road.

Chediston Street is also home to a Scout hut, and Mencap - a centre offering opportunities for people with a learning disability.

Combined with speeding cars, Ms Constanti said she feels it is only a matter of time before there is a serious incident.

“It’s an awful trite saying, but there’s an accident waiting to happen,” she said.

Her petition attracted 115 signatures, and at a meeting of Halesworth’s Town Council on Monday, councillors voted to back what would be the town’s first 20mph road.

“I’m very pleased to have their support,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of support in the community, people were keen on the idea.”

One resident living in Chediston Street who supports the petition is Alan Holzer.

He urged councillors to support the request, saying the number of cars parked in the road combined with families with young children meant the change was needed.

He said: “There’s going to be an accident sooner or later.”

However Suffolk County Councillor for Halesworth Tony Goldson said he had reservations over the proposal, saying speed checks carried out on the road previously showed the average vehicle speed was between 20mph and 25mph.

He said: “At this present time I can’t see any gain to it because the recorded speeds are slow.”

Mr Goldson also said the issue of how the speed limit would be enforced, and who would pay for it would need to be considered.

The application will now go to Suffolk County Council for discussion on issues around safety, congestion and the feasibility of setting it up.

What do you think of the proposals? Write, giving your full contact details, to Beccles and Bungay Journal letters, 20 Blyburgate, Beccles, NR34 9TB or email bbj.letters@archant.co.uk.