Residents across Westmorland and Furness Council are celebrating their communities becoming safer due to 20mph schemes.
A three-year programme was introduced in December 2023 following requests for lower speed limits. The new approach accelerated the application timeline, resulting in 49 requests for 79 potential schemes across the area.
The first-year programme, which engaged over 3,000 residents in a comprehensive consultation, has seen the implementation of 20 community-backed schemes this summer.
One of those was Sedgwick, near Kendal and some of the people involved in making it happen gathered recebtly to mark its introduction.
Cllr Bernie Tanham, vice chair of Sedgwick Parish Council, said: "The village wanted this 20mph limit and we were delighted when we got it because speeding is a problem]. When you look at the parish records it has been raised as a problem in the seventies, the eighties, the nineties, up to now. So we are delighted and now we have to get the motorists and cyclists to adhere to the limit.
"This was a parish council idea. We are thrilled that it is here - and that is all down to the residents because they are the ones who said they wanted it."
She added: "Sedgwick is used as a shortcut to get to Brettargh Holt, to get to the A65, to get to the hospital. So, at times, it is very busy in the village, and I don't think people who drive through or cycle through are aware of the challenges that we face.
"We really wanted the 20 mile an hour zone to be introduced to just enable drivers to be more aware that there are lots of things going on in the village and pedestrians and cyclists and, you know, mothers with push chairs and people walking dogs do need to feel safe when they're walking through the village.
"We're really pleased that it's in. I think every resident would say that. It's getting the people who come through the village used to the fact that it's 20-mile-an-hour zone when before it's been 30 and we would really appreciate them doing 20 miles an hour when they come through the village."
Sedgwick resident Mary Goodland said: "We were very much in favour of the 20 mile an hour limit because we've had such an increase in the traffic over the years. So we were very pleased. It is definitely a step in the right direction. It's what we wanted, we all requested it and we've got it."
Click here to see a video about the Sedgwick 20mph scheme.
Other schemes introduced this summer in the first wave were:
Eden locality
A total of 11 out of 12 proposed 20mph schemes have been introduced, benefiting the community by creating safer environments for schools, a busy section of the A592 which is popular with tourists, and a village green with an unfenced play area.
With strong support from residents, the schemes for Crosby Ravensworth, Dufton, Kings Meaburn, Nenthead and Ousby have been introduced.
Amendments to 20mph scheme designs in Askham, Glenridding, Orton, Patterdale, Ravenstonedale and Temple Sowerby ensured they best met community needs raised in the consultation.
South Lakeland locality
A total of nine out of 10 proposed 20mph schemes have gone ahead in South Lakeland, benefiting the community by creating safer environments outside schools and outdoor play areas nearby the road.
Plans for Gleaston, Great and Little Urswick, Natland, Oxenholme, and Swarthmoor had clear support from respondents.
Amendments to scheme designs in Allithwaite, Ambleside (due to be completed by 29 October), Coniston (due to be completed by 1 October) and Sedgwick ensured they best met community needs raised in the consultation.
Furness locality
Plans to introduce 20mph speed limits in five areas of Barrow including Hawcoat, Newbarns, Ormsgill, Roosecote, and Walney North will not go ahead after Westmorland and Furness Council received minimal support from residents. Despite delivering consultation letters to over 10,000 households and actively promoting the plans online and in communities, only 700 people responded—an "extremely low" figure given the population size.
Cllr Peter Thornton, Cabinet Member for Highways and ICT, said: "It is important to us that residents' views are at the heart of these proposals and It is good to see these 20mph speed limits becoming active and making communities safer.
"We have a focus on delivering safer, more sustainable roads in Westmorland and Furness and we look forward to making more of these schemes a reality in the future."
The initiative targets built-up areas with existing speed limits of 30mph or 40mph and are designed to enhance safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists in line with Department for Transport guidelines.
Considerations included evidence of accidents or incidents, whether the road is on a school walking route, the number of pedestrians walking along or crossing the road and deliverability of the scheme. Officers then worked with the relevant parish and town councils to finalise designs.
Consultation on 24 proposals for year two closed in July. All the prioritised schemes were put forward from within their communities and only those with clear community backing will proceed. The relevant locality boards are set to decide at their meetings in October which schemes will proceed.
The schemes going to locality boards in October are:
Furness
- Cows Tarn Lane, Walney Island
And in the vicinity of the following schools:
- Cambridge Primary School;
- Dane Ghyll Primary School;
- Newbarns Primary School;
- Ramsden Infant School;
- St Pauls Junior School;
- Victoria Infant and Nursery School;
- Victoria Junior School;
- Walney School, Sandy Gap Lane, Walney Island.
Eden
- Clifton;
- Gamblesby;
- Glassonby;
- Great Asby;
- Greystoke;
- Penrith;
- Sockbridge and Tirril ;
- Stainton.
South Lakeland
- Cartmel;
- Greenodd and Penny Bridge;
- Heversham;
- Ings;
- Kendal;
- Levens;
- Milnthorpe;
- Satterthwaite.
A further 27 eligible requests for 20mph limits that were received as a part of the initial application process have been accepted and will be consulted on for the third and final year of the programme. It is the council’s ambition to consult and deliver those schemes supported by communities by 2027, subject to additional funding, through working together with town and parish councils and local communities.