The dangers of our rural roads were revealed when accident statistics were published late last year.
3,115 people – car drivers, horse riders, cyclists, and pedestrians, – were killed on rural roads between 2018 and 2020.
In addition, almost 30,000 people were seriously injured on rural roads over the same period.
In comparison, 1,880 were killed on urban roads where speed limits are generally lower.
We have sought, with support from the police, to make our rural roads safer by introducing lower and more appropriate speed limits in place of the existing “derestricted” speed limits on our rural roads.
The speed surveys for phase one of this project were undertaken last autumn with proposals set to come to the Local Committee in early 2022. Phase two will follow.
It is currently expected that many speed limits on rural roads around Leith Hill will be reduced from 60mph to 40mph, with some possibly being reduced to 20mph.
In addition, Liberal Democrat County Councillors have called for more funding to be made available to introduce 20mph speed limits across Surrey with priority being given to reducing the speed limit on roads outside schools.
I approve of the lowering of speed limits to 40 on many roads and have seen several change.
My only comment is that there is no warning of changed speed limits. The A25 from Dorking to Buckland Shell petrol station is now 40, but many people still think it’s 50. The speed limit signs are small