A WOMAN from Stroud has said a cat's death was the driving force behind her decision to push Rodborough Parish Council to extend its quiet lane scheme.

The Parish Council voted to pursue extending the scheme to all the common roads within the cattle-gridded area in its parish at a meeting in June.

The scheme requires drivers to be aware that with no pavements, there are likely to be pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists sharing the lanes, as well as a play school with children running free.

The proposed new roads include Bear Hill, Rodborough Hill and Butterrow Hill (up to where they converge near the Bear of Rodborough), as well as the lane known as Mount Vernon and Tabernacle Walk, both of which it is intended should become part of the 20mph zone.

Rochelle Anselm, a resident of Tabernacle Walk in Rodborough, said: “For years now we have been getting more and more worried with the level of speed down our lane.

“It was the final straw for me when a little cat was knocked down, and this prompted me to contact the Parish Council.”

She added: “The council was fantastic and a few days later they allowed me to join their next Zoom meeting in June and at the end of the meeting they encouraged me to get the backing from all the residents which I did."

For years, residents of Tabernacle Walk have expressed fears over safety concerns.

One resident said: “There are lots of work and delivery vans going ridiculously fast for the size of road, and I often signal them to slow down."

Another said: “There’s no pavement here, gates go straight onto the road so it's difficult to see what’s coming without sticking your head out and it can be very dangerous.

“I hear cars speed up coming down as they can see there are no cars coming the other way. This takes no account of the children, the elderly people and pets that live here and might want to step out of their houses."

On the Parish Council’s decision to extend the scheme, Alick Miskin, chairman of the Planning and Transport Committee, said back in June: “We see this as very important way of encouraging and supporting residents who are thinking that now is the time to be getting back in the saddle but who find our busy rural roads highly intimidating.”