A COUNCILLOR is calling for a 30mph zone to be enforced on a main road into Northwich as confusion reigns over how fast drivers should be allowed to travel.

The Kingsmead spine road, a main route into and out of Northwich toward Davenham, Winsford, Middlewich and the M6, has been open for more than three years, but despite being a wide single carriageway designed to have a 40mph limit, the limit has been set at 30mph as the road has not been adopted by Cheshire County Council.

This has led to confusion, with some motorists assuming it was a 40mph road - there are no 30mph signs - and consequently being caught speeding.

The county council began looking into increasing the speed limit to 40mph in November, but members of the Local Joint Highways Transportation Committee, held in conjunction with Vale Royal Borough Council, decided there was a lack of support for the change and asked the county to rethink its proposal. The issue went back to Cheshire's Environment Strategic Panel at the end of January, but it decided to carry out a site visit before a final decision is made - which could be a matter of months.

Kingsmead borough councillor Will Charlton said whatever happened, he hoped the police would be enforcing the existing 30mph limit in the area in the meantime. He said: 'I was assured in October or November last year by the highways department it was initiating the process which was going to be implemented as soon as possible, so I am disappointed to hear otherwise.

'I will be asking the police to enforce a 30mph zone as I would assume if there is a lack of support for it to be changed, then people want it to remain at 30mph. The road needs to be a controlled area, and it needs to be enforced.'

Members of the Local Joint Highways Transportation Committee also considered the possibility of introducing a right turn filter on to the bypass from the Kingsmead estate at last month's meeting, along with the erection of signs to warn about the presence of a school crossing patrol on the A533 outside Kingsmead Primary School.

Fears have been raised about the risk to the lollipop man from fast moving vehicles, and there had been discussions about using temporary signs to warn of his location, but he indicated he did not wish to have to put them out.

The committee heard from a Cheshire County Council highways engineer who said introducing a right turn on to the A556 may cause capacity problems, and was told both the proposals are on hold until the cost has been established.

Cllr Charlton said: 'I will be investigating the delay to the pedestrian crossing. The plan had been to reduce the scale of the roundabout at the Kingfisher public house so drivers could see the crossing.'