Victory for people power in Castlemead but defeat in Hilperton

Following protests about the impact of high speed roads on the residents of the new estates in Trowbridge, Wiltshire Council has changed its mind and published proposals for a 30mph limit on Leap Gate in the vicinity of Castlemead School, and for 20mph limits on all the residential roads in the area. The original published plans were for 40mph on Leap Gate and 30mph on the side roads.

However in Hilperton all the safeguards required by the old District Council when it gave planning permission for the road have been thrown out by Wiltshire Council. WWDC asked for a light-controlled crossing at Middle Lane, zebra crossings at each end of the new road, a low-noise surface and a 40mph limit. The Conservative cabinet member for transport, Philip Whitehead, who represents far-off Urchfont and has no democratic link with the people of Trowbridge, has persisted in his decision to keep a 50mph limit on the Hilperton Gap road and not to require the developers to put in crossings to help pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders. An attempt to get him to rethink by 'calling-in' the decision to scrutiny committee was thrown out by the committee's Conservative majority.

Here's the formal advertisement:

WILTSHIRE COUNCIL
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984
1. THE COUNTY OF WILTSHIRE (VARIOUS ROADS, TROWBRIDGE) (20MPH SPEED LIMIT ZONE) ORDER 2015
2. THE COUNTY OF WILTSHIRE (LEAP GATE, TROWBRIDGE) (RESTRICTED ROADS) ORDER 2015
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT Wiltshire Council proposes to make the above Orders under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which will be as follows: -
Order 1
To introduce a 20mph speed limit zone on the following lengths of road:
Alnwick Road, Bechstein Meadows, Bisham Lane, Butts Crescent, Castle Hedingham, Daubenton Close, Framlingham Crescent, Godley Lane, Gundy Grove, Helmsley Road, Huntingfield, Leisler Gardens, Little Dunmow, Mascroft Road, Noctule Avenue, Pipistrelle Crescent, Pontefract Avenue, Serotine Crescent, Soprano Way, Thirsk Drive, Topcliffe Road, Underacre Close, Warkworth Lane - the complete lengths
Order 2
To introduce a 30mph speed limit on Leap Gate - from its junction with Bridleway 41A Trowbridge (known as Green Lane) to a point approximately 100 metres south of the Castle Mead School roundabout
Deposit copies of the Orders, plan and Statement of the Council's Reasons for proposing to make the Orders may be inspected at the offices of Wiltshire Council, County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge during normal office hours. Details of the proposed scheme may be seen at Trowbridge Library, Ground Floor, County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge between the hours of 8.30am - 7pm Monday, Thursday and Friday, 8.30am - 5.30pm Tuesday and Wednesday and 9am - 5pm Saturday until 1st September 2015. Documents can also be viewed online at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council/troconsultations.htm
Comments on the proposal together with the reasons for which they are made should be sent in writing or via the website to reach the Sustainable Transport Group by 1st September 2015 quoting reference HKB/TRO/TROW.
Sustainable Transport Group, County Hall, Bythesea Road TROWBRIDGE BA14 8JN
7th August