HUNDREDS of residents are backing an attempt to push for a road speed change at Pool-in-Wharfedale.

Villager Jamie Baker delivered a leaflet to homes across Pool about lowering the speed limit on the lower section of Old Pool Bank from 60mph to 30mph.

Nearly 500 people responded positively to the idea which Councillor Barry Anderson (Con, Adel & Wharfedale) has now taken up with Leeds City Council.

Mr Baker, explaining the reasons behind the attempt to make the change, said: "This ultra steep and winding road, which has been very popular with walkers and cyclists since lockdown, is unbelievably currently the fastest speed limit road in the village.

"This is just one of several road safety initiatives that have proved popular with villagers who are lobbying local police / council and highways to support them with what we see as a plague of speeding through Pool's country roads.

"We saw yet another serious accident on Pool Bank New Road last month where a car crashed and flipped onto its roof.

"Residents will also be out soon policing the roads themselves, with the mobile speed indicator sign that is available to all local Leeds groups from the road safety departments of Leeds City Council, in attempt to further raise awareness of speeding through the village."

Cllr Anderson is committed to working towards securing the 30mph limit though he acknowledges it won't be easy.

He said: "I'm currently working with Highways and villagers to try to realise the ambition of residents to make Pool a safe place for all.

"The push for reducing the speed limit on lower Old Pool Bank came about after I met Jamie Baker when I said we'd need at least 50 per cent of the houses and the residents of the village to be in support of the change.

"I think he's just about achieved that and we've had more than half of the residents saying - by filling in a form Jamie had delivered or e-mailing me - that they would support it.

"And no resident has contacted me to say they are opposed to it at all.

"So I made the decision that I was willing to fight for this and have contacted Highways. They say it has been added to a long list of other things that are vying for attention and that it would cost quite a bit - and that there's no money available at the moment.

"But we'll be having more meetings to see what can be achieved."