New council leader to consider more 20mph zones

The first female leader of Gloucestershire County Council says she will look at rolling out 20mph zones in towns and villages.

Lisa Spivey is also the first Liberal Democrat to be voted in as the council's leader following the local elections earlier this month.

At her first full council meeting on Wednesday, Ms Spivey made three pledges, which included the quick clear up of signs following road works and bringing children in care back into Gloucestershire.

The third pledge made by Ms Spivey, also a councillor for South Cerney, was to reduce speed limits in some areas to 20mph, to improve "road safety" and make residents feel more "comfortable".

Ms Spivey claimed some residents would respond "very positively" to 20mph speed limits, but said she would not introduce a "blanket" speed reduction, similar to Wales and Oxfordshire.

"This isn't just about road safety, it's also about creating environments where people feel more comfortable and they want to walk and cycle," she said.

She claimed "every single parish council" in her South Cerney division would support the speed limit reduction.

"I'm sure that within some communities there will be [pushback] but it's about how we deal with that and balance it all out," she said.

"But I think the data we've seen from the likes of Wales is that, after a year, not one town or parish asked for that 20mph limit to be reversed."

In addition to her pledges, Ms Spivey said she wanted to improve communication between the public and council during her time in the top job, which is something she is "really excited" to have been voted in for.

"It's a huge honour, a great privilege and a fantastic opportunity to shape the future of Gloucestershire," she said.

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