CHIPPING Sodbury’s traffic woes could be solved by a blanket 20mph limit, it emerged at a specially-convened meeting this week.

South Gloucestershire Council highways officials met with town councillors, members of Sodbury Chamber of Commerce and safety campaigners from the Keep Sodbury Safer action group to discuss how the town’s main roads could be improved with money made available through a Waitrose supermarket development.

Developers Chelverton Deeley Free will have to pay the district authority £165,000 for transport improvements and at Monday’s meeting ideas to spend the funds on pedestrian crossings and a mini roundabout on the High Street were tabled.

But overriding consensus from all parties was for the current 30mph speed limit to be reduced and create a 20mph zone in High Street and Broad Street with the possibility of extending it further.

Mark Lloyd, chairman of the chamber of commerce, said: "Everybody sort of agreed a 20mph limit would be a good option.

"I think it should cover High Street, Broad Street, Hounds Road, Rounceval Street, Hatters Lane and part of Wickwar Road so it would cover the main thoroughfare and the little off-shoots.

"It is the cheapest option, there is evidence 20mph zones work and I think it would solve a lot of the issues here."

He added: "Whatever is done the money needs to be used wisely. It would be a crime not to."

Pedestrian crossings at various points along High Street, Broad Street and Rounceval Street were being considered by the council in response to existing concerns over routes to school for local primary school children which have been exacerbated by fears that the new Waitrose store will lead to a dramatic increase in traffic when it opens in October.

Cate Davidson, clerk to Sodbury Town Council, said: "There was a lot of positivity about the idea.

"There was some discussion over the boundary of the limit and a lot of interest in extending it to the Smarts Green roundabout, Hounds Road and Rounceval Street as that would encompass walk to school routes."

Bob Keen, secretary of the Keep Sodbury Safer group, said a 20mph zone would still require further road improvements.

"The strong favourite was for a 20mph limit," said Mr Keen. "But this would need to be accompanied by traffic calming measures which would include raised platforms for pedestrian crossings."

The funds, which have been made available through what is known as a section 106 agreement between developers and South Gloucestershire Council, will not be handed over until the Waitrose store opens. Public consultation will then begin on different traffic calming measures and the favoured option.