The new proposal by Devon County Council to extend the 30mph limit along Exeter Road does not go far enough to stop problem speeding, said several Okehampton town councillors at a meeting this week.

Though councillors welcomed and agreed to support the proposal, which would see the 30mph speed limit extended past the new housing development along Exeter Road, Cllr Michael Ireland and Cllr Tony Leech have argued that this would have little impact on problem speeding in the area.

Cllr Leech said: ‘I certainly quite like it but I don’t think it goes far enough. It’s one of the most dangerous junctions we’ve got - it’s not only going over the bridge but it’s the slip road going up to the A30.

‘When the claim was done for the 50 houses, it was put to Highways that the 40mph limit should go right out and past the garage to keep the traffic slowing down because of near misses and accidents outside the garage and off the slip road. So, my proposal would be to extend the 40mph limit right out past the garage.’

Devon County Council’s proposal would see the current 30mph speed limit, which currently ends next to the Exeter Road housing development by Beardown Road, extended further out.

Under the proposal, the new 30mph limit apply in both directions and be extended to the junction with the road past Fatherford Farm. But, there has been no proposal to extend the 40mph speed limit further east as well.

In a statement of reasons, Devon County Council wrote: ‘It is proposed to extend the existing 30mph speed limit because the land adjacent to the road is being developed and new homes have been built. A new junction has also been created onto Exeter Road.

‘Specifically, the orders will avoid danger to persons or other traffic using the road or any other road or for preventing the likelihood of any such danger arising, for facilitating the passage on the road or any other road of any class of traffic (including pedestrians) and for the preserving or improving amenities of the area through which the road runs.’

However, Cllr Ireland said that there should be a greater focus on speed limit enforcement instead, especially along Exeter Road and Crediton Road, as ‘nobody bothers’ about the speed limit signs.

He said: ‘I walk quite a lot and it has an added benefit because otherwise you don’t realise how fast cars are going - it’s really dangerous for old people, children and people’s animals. It’s fine having these signs but nobody bothers about them. Let’s have some enforcement for the speeding.’

Several Okehampton residents have already tried to tackle speeding along Crediton Road and the police previously carried out a speed check along the road in July last year.

During this check, police recorded 52 out of 100 vehicles travelling over the 30 mph speed limit, with 11 of them travelling over 35 mph.

Last year, an Okehampton mum campaigned to get a zebra crossing installed along the road by St James Primary School after witnessing several cars nearly hitting the children as they walked home from school.

The speed limit has not yet been approved by the county council and any comments on the proposal should be submitted to Devon County Council by June 2.

Anyone wanting to comment can do so online at www.devon.gov.uk/roadsandtransport/parking/traffic-regulation-orders/advertised-tros/