20mph & 50mph Speed Limit and Traffic Calming Speed Limits A48 Minsterworth

This has been flagged up on the Gloucestershire “Hotspot List” as a location that requires intervention. The proposed changes seek to reduce the number and severity of collisions that have occurred here and improve the consistency of the speed limit along the route.
In 2022, Gloucestershire County Council published its Road Safety Strategy for 2022 until 2032, which complements the Local Transport Plan 2021-2040. Within this new strategy, the council has set a vision to reduce the number of people being killed or seriously injured on Gloucestershire’s
roads by 50% before 2032.
The new Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership has, therefore, launched a casualty reduction programme, which includes the rollout of an average speed limit camera enforcement strategy. A scheme proposal incorporating the A48 has been included into this programme and stretches
along the A48 from the A40 junction to Westbury-on-Severn. In order to support this programme, it is proposed to reduce the existing section of national speed limit on the A48, south-west of Minsterworth, to a 50mph speed limit.
In addition to the 50mph speed limit, this Traffic Order includes a proposal for 20mph speed limit on the side roads within Minsterworth Village. The 20mph speed limits are proposed to improve road safety throughout Minsterworth Village. The measures are also proposed for the following reasons:
1. For avoiding danger to persons or other traffic using the road or any other road, or for
preventing the likelihood of any such danger arising.
2. For the preservation and improvement of the amenity of the area concerned.
3. To improve safety for local residents and users of the village.
Vehicle speed data gathered during the assessment was within or close to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) guideline intervention level for a 20mph & 50mph speed limit of 24mph and 57mph respectively.
It is also proposed to include the existing 50mph speed limit on the A48 from the A40 to Westbury- on-Severn within this order to consolidate the speed limits on this section of the A48 into one Traffic Order. This will allow GCC to rectify anomalies between what is signed on-street and the
Traffic Order on the A48 and some of its adjoining roads. There will be no changes to the existing signed 50mph speed limit on-street for the sections of carriageway which are currently signed as a 50mph speed limit.
In addition, alongside the proposed speed limits, Gloucestershire County Council’s Traffic Engineering Team has included traffic islands and uncontrolled crossings into the proposal, in order to improve road safety for all road users.
Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984
The Council are proposing to implement the 20mph & 50mph speed limits under Section 84 and Part IV or Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA).
More specifically, according to the RTRA, it is the duty of a highway authority to ‘manage their road network’ and ‘to improve road safety’. Section 122 of the RTRA states that local authorities must, so far as is practicable, exercise their functions under the RTRA so as to ‘secure the
expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic’.
The proposals therefore accord with the RTRA.
Highways Act 1980
The Council are proposing to implement the traffic calming features under Section 90G of the
Highways Act 1980 (as amended).
Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016
The associated signing and lining will be in accordance with Traffic Signs Regulations and General
Directions 2016 and Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 3.
Equality Act 2010
Thorough consideration was given to the equalities duty of the Council under Section 149 of the
Equality Act 2010.