WIRRAL Council is expected to finish rolling out its new 20mph speed limits by 2025.

The local authority is currently planning to move ahead with the final two phases of its road safety scheme which has already seen speed limits reduced on over 2,000 roads. The scheme has faced significant opposition with a petition signed by thousands, overwhelmingly negative responses in public feedback surveys, and anger, leading to some vandalism.

However, the council has so far continued with the rollout, pointing to the scheme’s potential to save lives.  Five people were killed on the roads in 2022 and over six years, 27 were killed and 590 seriously injured.

At an environment and transport committee meeting on March 12, councillors are expected to approve a £2.16m programme over the next year which outlines different proposals to improve pedestrian and public rights of way, numerous road safety schemes, and look at more school streets schemes to improve safety at pick up and drop off times.

If approved by councillors, the local authority will also move forward with a consultation on phases three and four of the 20mph scheme together in 2024 before a planned roll out starting in 2025 funded by £300,000 through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. The council has already finished its roll out of phase one of the scheme on more than 1,700 roads and began its second rollout on more than 900 roads in February.

Merseyside Police has already started enforcing the roads rolled out over the course of 2023. The new speed limits were introduced on roads that are “primarily residential, around schools or around other places where people congregate or visit such as shops.”

Other projects included in the programme bringing in “additional measures” to address collisions on Poulton Road in Seacombe between Mill Lane and Wheatland Lane as well as a “proposed scheme to target the history of loss of control collisions” on Heron Road in Meols.

The council may also look to reduce a lane on the Thingwall Road East and Barnston Road roundabout in Thingwall as well as speed reduction measures on Whetstone Lane in Birkenhead. Speed limits will also be reviewed on A, B and C roads over the next two years.

£150,000 will also go towards supporting elements of a comprehensive plan for Bebington which will see roads made safer through new cycle lanes, walking routes, and school street schemes following extensive public engagement in the area.

Nearly £750,000 will also help building works start at the Spital crossroads near the Three Stags pub. Campaigners have been calling on the council to take action for several years following a number of collisions in the area, including one that killed a pensioner and another that left a school boy seriously injured.