SPEED LIMIT reductions will be implemented in Iron Acton after residents and councillors supported proposals to make changes.

Councillors backed proposals to reduce the speed limit in the village, on the lanes and on two stretches of the by-pass.

The proposals were discussed at a Frome Vale Area Forum in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall on Thursday, November 27.

One proposal involves cutting the speed limit from 50mph to 40mph on the stretch from Frome Valley Farm Shop through the Cog Mill bends up to the junction with Bristol Road.

The speed limit is also proposed to be reduced on the stretch from Victoria Garage to the Wotton Road traffic lights.

After listening to members of the public and considering the responses to the Traffic Regulation Order consultation, councillors gave their backing to the proposal.

Between May 1, 2008 and December, 21, 2012 there were 16 reported injury accidents on these stretches and one was declared fatal.

A Yate Road resident, Mark Curtis, was seriously injured two years ago and his car was written off whilst he was waiting to turn into his drive.

At the forum, Mr Curtis said: “I was hit by a car from behind and pushed across the road into oncoming traffic and hit by another car both driving fast. My wife who was five and a half months pregnant at the time was just a few cars behind me and saw it all happen.

“A cut from 50mph to 40mph will cut the risk of accidents and reduce greatly the risk of those involved from being killed or seriously injured.”

Several residents attended the forum to support the scheme to reduce the speed limit to 20mph in the village, and on Nibley Lane, from the village to Badminton Road, Bridge Road and Hope Road.

The speed limit is currently 30mph in the village and 60mph on the lanes.

Residents told South Gloucestershire Councillors that the high street and lanes have been used as a “rat run” with some vehicles being driven at “crazy speeds.”

They also disputed that older people, cars and pedestrians using the high street and exiting from the Parish Hall are also very much at risk.

Councillors Dave Hockey said: “I am totally behind the speed reductions. The limit of 60mph on the lanes is too high, the lanes are used by lots of cyclists, horse-riders and children and I fully supported the change of speed limit.

“Iron Acton is a conservation area and it’s very significant that the speed limits will be changed. It’s a lovely area and a special village that does the community proud. People need to understand that cutting down 10 mph makes a difference between life and death.”

The new speed limits will be implemented within this financial year which ends in April 2015.