20MPH Highways Initiative

Bottisham Parish Council are applying for a 20mph speed limit throughout the village of Bottisham. The reason we strongly believe this is needed within the village is it will help address significant known safety issues that have got progressively worse over a number of years. These issues and why we feel this application is justified will be addressed in detail within this application. We will supplement this application with detail from residents that have been concerned for many years about the disruption and dangers posed by the volume and speed of traffic.

Bottisham is already a very busy village and is often used as a “rat-run” or through-route to nearby villages of Swaffham Bulbeck, Swaffham Prior and Burwell. Bottisham Parish Council has received a number of complaints of speeding within the village despite having speed warning signs (MVAS) and 30mph poles. Bottisham has a growing population of 2400 with a primary and secondary school, two care homes and a recently approved, to be built, 170 retirement home. The village is made up of a very diverse population, older people, growing families with children, young adults and persons with mobility issues and irrespective of age and ability surely their safety is paramount?

Bottisham is planned to have a Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership “Greenway” through the village encouraging active and sustainable travel. This “Greenway” will result in Bell Road (a major route into Bottisham) being designated as a “quiet street” and move from 30mph to 20mph. This “Greenway” is going to see cyclists in the primary position of the carriageway. In order for this to happen and more importantly ensure safety is paramount we really need to slow the traffic down everywhere. However, this does not address the crucial main roads through Bottisham which are all 30mph and where majority of speeding and incidents take place.

Bottisham Parish Council has worked hard to find ways of improving safety in the heart of the village. We are aware of the challenges with the junction of Bell Road, the endless speeding on main routes that lead to both a primary and secondary school where numerous school children are walking and cycling to school then adding in the care homes and the doctors – it’s a real challenge.