A new 30mph speed limit on the A283 Petworth Road at Cherry Tree roundabout, at Milford, is to be introduced despite police objections.

Surrey County Council’s Waverley Local Committee agreed to introduce the limit last week, but with Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) to encourage lower speeds, and to monitor the effect over a year.

Surrey Police had made a formal objection when the new limit was advertised earlier this year, citing concerns including it would mean removal of the current 40mph signs and 30mph end signs near Milford Health Road. The only indication will now by 30mph signs on lamp posts, many of which are set back from the road and hard for drivers to see.

“All limits need to be self-enforcing, in that there should be engineering measures in place to ensure driver compliance and there should not be a reliance on police to ensure compliance,” said police traffic management officer Graham Cannon in a report to the committee.