PLANS are being drawn up for a blanket 20mph zone throughout Grassington after complaints about speeding from local residents.

Coun Shelagh Marshall has been consulting with North Yorkshire County Council's highways department about introducing the low speed limit and also introducing a range of other traffic calming measures.

Coun Marshall said: "Grassington Primary School has been very supportive of the 20 miles per hour limit. The medical centre also has been as older people who walk to the centre of the village struggle crossing Station Road."

She added: "There are also so many pedestrians coming out of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's car park as well. With the school and everything and the difficult junction with Wood Lane something needs to be done."

Coun Marshall added she had received numerous complaints from residents living around the Chapel Street area and thought it was time for something to be done before an accident happened.

Chapel Fold resident Sheila Roberts told the Herald she had complained to Coun Marshall about how busy Chapel Street had become.

"It has become so busy for a narrow street and the rate some of the traffic is coming along is frightening especially for older people and children. There have also been some very large wagons coming along this narrow road.

"I think something needs to be done so people are more aware of the speed they need to drive through the village. When my own mother came up she would not go out without me because of the narrowness of the roads. We do live in a pretty tourist village but it does have its drawbacks."

A firm scheme has been drawn up to be used for consultation with the parish council and residents to gauge their views on the proposal to implement the 20mph limit.

Coun Marshall added that until recently the Government had only allowed a 20mph speed limit to be introduced in heavily built up urban areas, but these rules had been relaxed.

She said: "I'm extremely pleased with what is being proposed and I'm hoping it will make things a lot better especially outside the school."

Coun Peter Walbank said: "It would be the most sensible thing to have happened in the village for a long time. "In my opinion it is essential and we've been asking for it for ages."

o A scheme to improve the safety conditions for cyclists and pedestrians along the back road between Grassington and Kettlewell has been proposed by North Yorkshire County Council's environmental services.

The scheme will use appropriate warning signs and advisory Local Traffic Only gateway signs, to minimise the use of the lane by through traffic and improve safety.

The size of the signs has been kept to the absolute minimum for environmental reasons. Once this scheme has been implemented, the lane will be monitored, with a view to promoting it as a "quiet route" for cyclists and walkers.

Grassington Parish Council has been asked for its comments and work could start in October.