The leader of North Somerset Council has announced he will oppose his council’s proposal to lower speed limits on a heavily trafficked section of the A370 in Weston-super-Mare. This stretch of road, carrying approximately 35,800 vehicles daily, has been identified as collision-prone and under consideration for a 10mph speed limit reduction.
Cabinet member for highways, Hugh Malyan, supports the plan, emphasizing the need to prioritize road safety. He highlighted that this 3.8-mile segment experiences a collision rate more than ten times higher than other parts of North Somerset’s network. “Speed is a key factor in the high collision rate, and a reduction will help improve safety,” Malyan said. He further noted the potential benefits for fuel economy and environmental emissions.
However, Council leader Mike Bell disagrees with the proposed measure. Representing Weston-super-Mare Central as a Liberal Democrat, Bell argued that speed is not the main cause of accidents on this stretch. “The collisions are often due to poor lane discipline, tailgating, distracted driving, and sudden braking, rather than the speed limit itself,” he explained. Bell plans to formally object during the forthcoming public consultation.
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The affected dual carriageway comprises just 0.5% of North Somerset’s roads, yet accounts for over 5% of injury collisions recorded over the past 30 years. The council’s partnership administration, comprising Labour, Liberal Democrats, Greens, Independents, and Portishead Independents, will open the consultation following the publication of traffic regulation orders on July 16, ahead of planned implementation in August.
This debate highlights differing views among local leadership on how best to tackle road safety concerns while minimizing travel disruption for thousands of motorists in the area.