Plans to create 20mph limit in Hartlepool's Murray Street among £35,000 road safety schemes

Hartlepool Borough Council neighbourhood and services committee is to decide whether to introduce a 20 mph speed limit in the Murray Street area after concerns were raised by people in the area.

Approximately 500 letters were sent to all residents in the area with 93 responding, 89 in favour, 4 against.

Appropriate 20mph signage will be placed at the entrances to the area, with additional repeater signage installed within the 20 mph limit itself.

The scheme, which will not include any physical traffic calming measures, is estimated to cost approximately £5,000 and will be funded from existing allocations within the council’s Local Transport Plan.

A report from council neighbourhood and highways bosses said: “Residents and ward members have requested that a 20mph speed limit is implemented on Murray Street and the surrounding residential streets mainly to the east, to reduce speeds and improve road safety in the area.”

The neighbourhood committee is also to decide on proposals to install speed humps in Kipling Road over safety concerns.

The road is already subject to a 20mph speed limit following a previous consultation, and in line with its location close to Rift House Primary School.

The speed humps scheme is estimated to cost around £30,000 and will also be funded from existing Local Transport Plan funds.

The council sent 100 letters were sent to residents in the area with 37 responses, 32 in favour and 5 against.

A report from council neighbourhood and highways bosses said: “Residents and ward members have campaigned for some time for safety improvements on Kipling Road, primarily due to traffic seeming to use the road to avoid the existing traffic calming measures on Masefield Road, at times at excessive speed.”

A report by council officers recommends that both schemes are given the go-ahead.

Decisions will be made at the neighbourhood services committee meeting at the Civic Centre on Wednesday at 4pm.

Nic Marko , Local Democracy Reporting Service