20mph limit call 'not practical'

12:03pm Wednesday 7th February 2007

A PRO-CYCLING group is expected to lose its demand for a 20mph speed limit on every road in Darlington.

At its annual meeting on Saturday, Darlington Cycling Campaign called for a blanket reduction in the speed limit in the town. But its campaign appears to be short-lived because the measure has been described as impractical.

All 20mph zones must include traffic-calming, such as chicanes or speed bumps.

Campaign chairman Richard Grassick said: "Darlington this week was dubbed the fourth noisiest town in the country. The softly-softly approach doesn't seem to be working. Tougher measures are needed, and a 20mph limit could encourage car drivers to take more notice of the safety of cyclists, pedestrians, and the disabled."

While the borough council said the group's motives were right, a spokesman said: "To have 20mph limits and the associated traffic calming measures on every street in Darlington would simply not be practical.