Town centre's new 20mph limit

Speed limits on roads across Stafford town centre are to be reduced to 20mph.

From Monday new traffic orders will come into effect as part of a £1 million project by road chiefs.

The restrictions will cover roads in and around the town centre including Gaolgate Street, North Walls, Eastgate Street, South Walls, Greengate Street, Tenterbanks, Broad Street and Bridge Street.

The new rules will also make the town less easy to navigate in a car, with new traffic restrictions on Bridge Street, Tenterbanks, Water Street, Mill Street, South Walls, Mill Bank and Greengate Street.

These new rules will see many streets made one-way except for taxis and buses and on some roads traffic will be restricted late at night.

Changes include a ban on cars making a left hand turn from Greengate Street on to South Walls and the removal of the one-way system on part of Tipping Street between Appleyard Court and Eastgate Street.

On Tenterbanks cars will be banned in an easterly direction except for buses and taxis and for access, from its junction with Victoria Road to its junction with Water Street and Mill Bank. The county council claims the new 20mph zone will improve the town centre and make it safer for pedestrians but motorists could be forced to endure longer journeys as they will have to use the congested Queensway and Chell Road.

In a letter to town centre businesses, project engineer Tim Horton revealed the council had deliberately left Bridge Street, Greengate Street and South Walls without traditional road markings as part a "shared space" scheme, with pedestrians and vehicles mixing in the same location. This is supposed to cause drivers to slow down and be more cautious.

County Councillor Mike Maryon, cabinet member for highways, said: "The scheme will have a really positive impact. Safer streets are good news for the whole community."