PLANS to reduce the speed limit through Lindford will not come into force until September, it was announced this week. The Village 30 scheme, which will be implemented across Hampshire, was due to be in place by early summer. However, the first 40 villages to benefit from its reduction in speed limits will now not see the change until early September. Hampshire County Coun-cil's executive member for the environment, Mel Ken-dal, told the Herald: "We're progressing the work as fast as we can. "We will be implementing the 30mph limit in 120 villages across Hampshire, and it was always out intention to do this in batches of 40. "The first batch of 40 villages will see their new speed limits in place by the second week of September, and the remaining villages, we invisage, will be complete by the end of this financial year." But Liberal Democrat county councillor for Lindford, Whitehill and Bordon, Adam Carew, said: "This news comes as a total shock. The first I heard of this was when I had a meeting with a senior officer on Monday and it has been subsequently confirmed by other key officers. "We fought long and hard to get Lindford's Village 30 approved and we were told it would be implemented by the end of spring. "This casual disregard for public safety is breathtaking. The whole point about the Village 30 was that it is supposed to reduce speed, reduce accidents and save lives. According to Depart-ment for Transport research, 80 to 90 per cent of pedestrians hit at 40mph will die, at 30mph 80 per cent will live. So why are we waiting? Any delay here is totally unacceptable." But Mr Kendal acknowledged that any villages with safety issues would be dealt with individually and as quickly as possible. He said: "If there is a road safety issue in any of these villages, we will accelerate the programme and resolve any issues. For villages with no safety issues, progress will continue as planned." Ahead of the enforcement of the new speed limits, residents and motorists will be asked to take part in the Choose 30 scheme - part of the wider Village 30 scheme - to encourage them to slow down. Mr Kendal said: "The police will not support any Village 30 scheme unless the traffic already moves through the viallge at less than 45mph. We have to make sure people are educated and are aware that the speed limit is changing, otherwise nothing will change. "We will begin to get the information out to the press and will be giving stickers to people to put on their wheelie bins, promoting the Choose 30 scheme." It is hoped that the Village 30 scheme for Lindford could be in place by July, as Mr Carew has asked for the scheme to be prioritised. He said: "County officers tell me that, because the Traffic Regulation Order was approved on April 30, the scheme can go ahead as soon as the order is sealed and signed off. I am told the earliest date for this is now July, so I have formally requested that this now be brought forward rather than waiting until September."
