SPEED limits have become a hot topic of debate in recent weeks.

Following a report where Hampshire residents and group campaigners made clear that 20mph would make roads safer, the Department for Transport (DfT) has started considering whether 20mph could become the standard speed limit in built-up areas.

According to the planning document ‘the default should be to work to a design speed limit of 20mph in urban environment.

For residential streets, a maximum design speed of 20mph should normally be an objective, with significantly lower speeds usually desirable.’

The document, which is still not finalized and presented to ministers, is described as the DfT’s ‘key piece of guidance on designing streets that put place above movement’.

Executive lead member for universal services, Cllr Nick Adams-King, said: "This suggestion from the gov is helpful, but we also need to take it into account because if there is a new national policy to bring forward, we need to make sure that Hampshire is doing the same thing and not something is contradicted. We need to see what they are talking about.

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"I absolutely agree that every single time that we are looking at a new development within which they are roads, we should be saying that these roads must be 20mph because that changes the nature of the community from day one, and that’s a great thing because you are beginning to get people used to it."

At the last Universal Services – Transport and Environment Select Committee (January 23), members accepted the report and recommendations of the 20mph Task and Finish Group, and they will be taken into account in the development of any new policy.

Cllr Adms-King said: "There is in some places the assumption that if you reduce the speed limits its stops people from speeding. The evidence doesn’t point to that always it is the case.

"Changing the speed limit, bringing an immediate 20mph limit everywhere, would not necessarily be the solution to speed limit problems unless properly enforced.

"We need to take our time to work on how best to alter our policies to allow 20mph."

Officers will make a recommendation to the cabinet in the summer.

"We have to try and put balance. We need to take our time to do it right. And I hope we can bring forward a proposal in June for the committee to look to confirm they are happy, and if that is the case, we will make the decision in July as to what the new policy is and how to do things", he added.