Speed Limits and Complaints
Speed limits policy
Suffolk Council Council's Cabinet agreed to a new policy on speed limits in December 2014. This policy has been developed to consider whether changes to existing speed limits are appropriate or not and give guidance on speed limits for any new roads. It has been developed following engagement of key stakeholders by the Roads and Transport Policy Development Panel which is a cross party group of Councillors and will be kept under review.
There is a separate policy for 20mph limits and this policy covers all other limits. The policy does not consider directly issues of enforcement, publicity, engineering/ environmental measures or other measures to improve compliance.
- Read Suffolk County Council's policy on speed limits (Word, 77KB)
The Council deals with requests to change speed limits from Parish, Town, Borough or District Councils. Individuals requesting changes to a speed limit, should seek support from the above before submitting a request.
A number of factors need to be taken into account before changing a limit, such as the nature of the road, impact on local residents, activity on the side of the road, collision history, cost of implementation, traffic delays, impact on vulnerable road users, the environment and public anxiety. The view of the Police will also be sought before changes are made. The legal process to change a limit can take approximately nine months.
For more information, please contact suffolkroadsafe@suffolk.gov.uk
20mph speed limits
The Council has a specific policy covering 20mph speed limits.
You can read about it on this page Speed limits - Suffolk County Council
The full 20mph speed limit policy can be read here 20mph-policy
How the police manage speeding complaints
Complaints about speeding may arise from the community, elected representatives, parish councils and Safer Neighbourhood Teams.
The Police will respond by using of Speed Data Recorders (SDR) to provide an evidence base for operational activity. In other words, it provides tangible data to either prove or disprove that speeding is of concern.
If there is a measurable concern the approach will be encourage the development of Community Speedwatch to empower local communities to be involved in speed reduction. If community activity highlights high levels of non-compliance then this may lead to enforcement.
Community complaints are dealt with in a number of ways utilising local police officers trained in the use of the speed enforcement device.
Specialist roads policing officers will provide advice and support where appropriate. Specialist officers are tasked on a daily basis to patrol specific areas at key times. Proactive speed enforcement using speed detection devices will only take place during these tasks if those areas are also on the sanctioned enforcement lists. However, officers may very well have to deal with any driver they witness speeding as part of this targeted patrol.
Additionally, both local officers and specialist roads policing officers will target specific towns and villages in areas determined through the speed detection deployment plan. The operation that will target not only the ‘fatal four’ (speeding, drink driving, mobile phone use and not wearing a seatbelt) but will also address community concerns relating to anti-social driver or rider behaviour, including cyclists riding on pavements or noise nuisance from stationary vehicles.