RESIDENTS in Langcliffe have won their battle to get speed restrictions on the busy main road running past the village.

Despite officer's recommendations to refuse the scheme, North Yorkshire County Council's area three highways committee voted to back the residents.

Speeding on the B6479 Settle to Stainforth road has been a long-running concern for villagers, who are fed-up of negotiating cars, wagons and motorcycles travelling at dangerously high speeds. Back in 1996, Langcliffe Parish Council requested a 40mph limit along the road, but highway chiefs decided no action should be taken as traffic speeds were not high enough.

However, village postmistress Veronica Meredith was so concerned about the situation that she recently organised a petition. It was signed by 90 residents, and the parish council called for a site meeting in February with highways representatives and the police.

Parish councillors pointed out that the speed and volume of traffic was increasing on the road, making it more dangerous to cross to reach the village centre. Residents also complained that part of the route from Willow Wood to the village centre only had one footway, which meant people had to cross the road at a poor location. It was added that parking on the road at Willow Wood only served to make the situation more dangerous.

At the highways committee meeting on Friday, area traffic manager Bill Isherwood said the application did not meet with set criteria for introducing a speed limit.

He said: "There are only isolated pockets of development on either side of the B6479 on the length under consideration for a limit. The level of development would not, therefore, support the introduction of a speed limit. Whilst there are small variations between the 1996 and present speeds, it can be considered that the speed levels have remained substantially the same."

He added: "As the main part of the village is situated off the B6479 and already protected by a 30mph speed limit, it could not be argued that a speed limit is necessary on the B6479 to protect village life."

However, committee members demanded that the residents' request should be supported before someone was seriously hurt on the busy road.

Coun Shelagh Marshall said: "When you come out of the Bowerley Hotel entrance you take your life in your own hands."

And Coun Beth Graham felt the road was "highly dangerous".

"I would like to propose action is taken to introduce a speed limit as I think the evidence is quite clear," she said. "The evidence is quite sufficient to support a 30mph speed limit at New Street and 40mph at Ellwood Cottages and Willow Wood."

Members decided to introduce a limit of 40mph along the road and it was also agreed a scheme should be drawn up to assess the need for further footways.

Minor modifications to allow cars to be parked off the road will also be carried out at Willow Wood.

Speaking after Friday's meeting Mrs Meredith said she was happy with the decision: "After all these years common sense has prevailed. It would have been awful though if there had been a death before this speed limit had been introduced."

The new speed limit will now be advertised and providing no objections are received it should be in place by late summer.

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