Traffic calming scheme on busy road in Milton Keynes town cuts speed by 15%

A traffic calming scheme introduced by Milton Keynes City Council has cut speed on Newton Road in Bletchley by up to 15%.

Speed bumps were installed in August on a stretch of road surrounding St Thomas Aquinas School, after a survey found there was a ‘high volume’ of traffic and pedestrians in the area – especially around school drop off and pick-up time.

A safety review and speed data survey of the scheme has since found that vehicle speed and the volume of traffic has reduced drastically.

Since the introduction of the speed bumps, the speed of vehicles has decreased by up to 15% and the volume of daily traffic has almost halved (40%) which shows that the calming measures are discouraging vehicles from using the road.

The council is now considering introducing a 20mph zone along Newton Road to further boost safety in the area.

Nigel Long, Labour Councillor for Bletchley Park ward, said: “Over the past year I’ve worked closely with residents and the City Council to find the best approach to make the area safer for everybody. Residents have been very supportive of introducing the traffic calming measures from the outset, so I’m pleased that the latest data shows that the scheme is working.

“We hoped this would create a safer and more suitable environment for school children and the local community and results of the initial survey are very positive. I look forward to working with residents and the City Council to explore the possibility of a 20mph zone to make Newton Road even safer.”