Residents back call to reduce speed limit

A PETITION seeking a reduction in the speed limit in a lane in Sonning Common has almost reached 200 signatures.

Chris Jones, who set it up on Tuesday last week, is urging Oxfordshire County Council to reduce the 30mph limit in Blackmore Lane to 20mph and designate it as a “quiet lane”.

He has 176 signatures and he will send it to the highways authority which has already received a letter from him where he sets out why he believes the current speed limit is unsuitable.

Mr Jones said that the lane is “residential in nature” and not primarily for vehicles and said that bends in the lane in many spots impact the distance vehicles can see ahead.

He also said that the road has several accesses on either side which are poorly sighted and “severe” potholes in the south-eastern end of the lane make the road dangerous to drive at a speed faster than 10mph.

Mr Jones said: “The lane is single track and narrow with few passing places and no pavements.

“For large parts of the road, pedestrians cannot move out of the way of oncoming traffic due to banks being either too steep or inaccessible due to vegetation.

“Pedestrian, cyclist and horseback movements are high. This is because it is used by non-vehicular users to connect the village of Sonning Common with the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“The bottom of the lane connects directly with the centre of the village via footpaths and there is a well-known footpath that connects the lane with the surrounding fields halfway up the lane.

“Horse riders often use the lane as a riding route and there is a livery at Frieze Farm at the south-eastern end of the lane.

“Reducing the speed limit would reduce the harmful emissions of the vehicles and the noise pollution that affects the residents and the surrounding flora and fauna.”

Mr Jones said that users of the lane have reported incidents of near misses with traffic ignoring the speed limit.

He said: “Reducing the speed limit would not significantly impact the journey time of vehicles using the lane.

“There is also further negative impact to the local quality of life from the fear of fast-moving traffic on Blackmore Lane.

“There are regular issues with heavy goods vehicles trying to use the lane. Often, they are unable to pass due to the low hanging branches, infrequent and small passing places and the narrow width of the lane.

“This has resulted in congestion and damage to many of the trees along the lane as well as the banks and grass either side.”

A spokesman for Sonning Common Parish Council said that it was aware of the petition by the residents of Blackmore Lane to make it a “quiet lane” but that its members had not discussed it.

A spokesman for the county council said: “We thank the campaigners for their correspondence, and we look forward to receiving the petition and responding in due course.”