A consultation has opened to reduce the speed limit in streets in Falmouth and Penryn.

Cornwall Council intends to implement a 20mph speed limit on most residential streets within Budock Water, Falmouth, Mawnan Smith, Mylor Bridge, Penryn, Ponsanooth, Treverva, Perranarworthal, and Perranwell Station (where the existing limit is currently 30mph).

These areas, which are part of the Falmouth & Penryn Community Network, have previously expressed strong local support for this.

The consultation on the proposals for the areas will run until Thursday, March 31st.

With more than 150 requests to reduce 30mph speed limits on roads across Cornwall, the Falmouth and Penryn proposals will be introduced as part of the first phase of lowering speed limits on residential roads.

This will assess the impact of changing signs on affected roads while making minimal physical changes to the highway.The Council will work closely with Devon and Cornwall Police and the '20 is Plenty' campaign, as well as the communities to help embed behaviour change through initiatives such as Community Speed Watch.

The findings of this first phase will be presented to the Council's Economic Growth and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee to then consider the potential for 20mph to become the default speed limit for residential roads in Cornwall. Final approval of wider Cornwall deployment will be for Cabinet to approve.

Philip Desmonde, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport, said:

"Villages, towns, and cities should be places where people are free to travel in ways that are safe, sustainable, and healthy. In many places, inappropriate speed limits make movement dangerous where people live, work and play - particularly for vulnerable road users such as children and elderly people.

"The volume of requests demonstrates just how important an issue this is for our communities who want to see lower speeds on residential roads. We know that lower speeds mean fewer serious accidents, but it can also contribute to improving air quality and combating climate change.

"I would like to thank those who took the time to make the case for 20mph speed limits in their areas – your voice has been heard. Officers will continue feasibility work around plans for 20mph to become the speed limit for all residential roads in Cornwall and phase 1 will help inform their work on this."

Click here to take part in the consultation.

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