LEDBURY councillors are backing calls to cut the speed limit on a “death trap” road.

Members of Ledbury Town Council’s planning and economic development committee have voted to support calls for speed restrictions on the Bromyard Road, between the railway bridge and Burtons Lane, to be slashed from 60mph to 30mph.

Ledbury’s Herefordshire councillor Peter Watts has been calling for this because of planned development for up to 700 homes on the nearby viaduct site.

Subject to approval from full Ledbury Town Council, the recommendation will be forwarded to Herefordshire Council and the Highways Authority.

Former Ledbury Mayor, Coun Allen Conway, said: “That road is a death trap.

A lot of people have to walk along that road, which also does not have sufficient lighting.”

Concerns were also raised once more over speeding traffic along the Hereford Road, between the railway bridge and the Leadon Way roundabout, and on the New Mills estate itself.

The speed limit on that section of the Hereford Road is 30mph, but New Mills residents claim speeds over 70mph are regularly witnessed.

Coun Jayne Roberts said: “Speed Indication Devices (SIDS) might slow people down.”

But Coun Lily Fieldhouse said the electronic signs often encouraged people to see how fast they could go.

Coun Annette Crowe called for police to target the road with speed guns, and said: “If they do that for a few weeks or so, it will stick in people's minds.”