ROAD safety campaigners have called for 20mph to be the default speed limit for urban and village streets.

Corsham recently signed up to the 20s Plenty campaign and wants to see the high street’s current 30mph limit lowered. Other towns and villages that have joined the campaign include Bradford on Avon, Lockeridge and Malmesbury Marlborough.

Biddestone, Melksham and parts of Chippenham already have 20mph zones.

There are 90 20 mph zones, where several roads have the lower speed limit across Wiltshire, with Marlborough currently consulting on whether to cut its High Street and surrounding roads from 30mph. Trowbridge has the most 20mph areas, with nine across the town.

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “There are two types of 20mph limits. 20mph speed limit restrictions by order and 20mph zones. Zones are designed to be ‘self-enforcing’ by using traffic calming measures such as speed humps, chicanes, road narrowing and planting. These measures are used to both physically and visually reinforce the shared nature of the road.”

Richard Moulton is part of Tranistion CoCo, which want to see 20 miles per hour across Corsham High Street and all main roads running off it.

He said: “We want to encourage active travel where people walk or cycle around. I know there are people in Corsham who will drive just 400 yards but I can understand why. The pavements in Corsham are narrow and it does not always feel right walking down them with car and lorries going by at 30 miles per hour. It is also about improving the street experience for people in Corsham."

In the village of Beanacre near Melksham, the community speed watch team say they have received verbal abuse while out using a speed camera to encourage motorists to slow down.

Anyone caught on camera is issued a letter and could receive a visit from the police.

Jill has been living in the village on the A350 for four years and set up the community speed watch. She says: “We get verbal and hand signal abuse from drivers. We just want to make the village safer for everyone.

“We have asked for signs, rumble strips or white gates into the village. Every other village has these so drivers know that they’re driving through a residential area but we don’t. It must be because we are on a main route. What would really help is an average speed camera, but for some reason there are no speed cameras in Wiltshire.

“Wiltshire Council say they are doing all they can, but the road is an accident waiting to happen.”

Beanacre successfully campaigned to lower the limit form 40 to 30mph, however in 2014 a request was refused to lower it further to 20mph.

A 20mph zone could be introduced to Marlborough after 65 per cent of residents told a consultation they wanted the zone introduced.

Concerns about enforcing the limit were raised and one respondent sated: “Unless the 20mph areas are going to be policed during evenings and overnight/early mornings there does not seem to be a point in making it. Careless or dangerous driving charges can be used in inappropriate speeds if necessary.”

Comments on the proposal can still be sent in writing or via the Wiltshire Council website to reach the Wiltshire Council Sustainable Transport Group, County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, BA14 8J by January 14 quoting reference LJB/TRO/MARL20.