Speed limits cut to 20mph in 'good result' for Leeds villages including Shadwell, Bardsey, Aberford and Scholes

Roads in Aberford, Bardsey, Barwick-in-Elmet, Linton, Scholes and Shadwell will be among those where some of the 30mph limits are cut.

The new restrictions will mainly operate around village centres and main streets where pedestrians and schoolchildren are most likely to be. Proposals to cut the limits were first mooted in 2019, but are only now just becoming a reality, after a lot of objections to the original scheme.

But Conservative councillor for Leeds City Council’s Harewood ward, Matthew Robinson, said the news was a “good result”.

“It’s about making sure those village centres, where there are lots of shops and kids are walking to schools, are safer,” he said.

“Some of the residents have been really anxious to get the new zones in.

“There have been some delays during the consultation so that we can make sure they’re workable across all the villages, which hasn’t always been easy. Across the process now we’ve had more people in favour than against.

“But we’ve tried to make sure we’ve taken account of everything that’s been said.”

According to a Leeds City Council document confirming the new zones, most of the affected parish councils backed the plans, though there were a total of 25 objections from members of the public and other parties.

Although in some cases, the objectors were upset other roads hadn’t been included in the scheme, some concerns related to the prospect of excessive signage and urbanisation. Such issues were raised in East Keswick, where Leeds City Council has now decided against implementing new 20mph zones, following the backlash.